The Least Likely
by eveningspirit1
Summary: Lee and Kara, and how their friendship may have started. Ch 8: a helping hand is there for Lee in a form of the two girls of his life. But it cost Kara a few nights in a hack.
1. Competitor

SUMMARY: Lee and Kara, and how their friendship may have started.

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by -yannik-

Chapter One – COMPETITOR

>>

"Lee Adama?" a gruff voice right above his head woke the young cadet from his musing. He lifted his eyes to meet ones of a short, solid guy.

"Can I help?"

"Major's son, huh?" Asked the guy, placing the tray on the other side of the table, and starting to eat. "Don't mind if I joined?" he asked matter-of-factly, his mouth already full of noodles.

"It's Colonel actually, but yes." Lee choose not to dwell on whether he minded or not. He just stuck to the first subject. "Have a problem with that?"

"Colonel it is, sorry. Naaay, no problem. At first I thought, duh, Adama'a kid, another one of those who climb their daddies' backs. But then I saw the board. You know? The one with yesterday's weekly evals."

"It's on already?"

"Just half an hour ago. I looked and decided to get to know my competition. I was third y'know?"

"Oh?"

"You second."

So the first tests didn't go that bad – Lee thought. He was second in a group of a little over a hundred students that started Academy this year. He knew he did his best on P.E. and at maths. As well as their first flight simulator. But not knowing other people's abilities, it was hard to tell what position he would end at. Second was satisfying. For the moment.

"Have you met the number one?" Lee asked the fat guy.

"Not yet, she's in another group. As well as number four actually. But I know their names – it's Kara Thrace, and Jamie Kudel. I'll catch up with them some other time. If they stay on top that is."

"Good luck! Will you let me know? By the way – what's your name?"

"Duh, sorry. Didn't introduce myself? Larry Davies."

>>

Sadly Larry didn't stay on top of the list, while Adama, Thrace and Kudel did. They pretty much competed with one another over the next couple of months in various tests. And while Lee was winning in shooting targets, Thrace was always the best when it came to speed, while Kudel had no competition in tactics and strategy planning.

In spite of his falling position in rankings, Larry stayed close to Lee. It was an odd friendship, and young Adama couldn't stop thinking, it had something to do with the name he was bearing. If only Davies knew when Lee last saw his old man… Maybe he should keep that information in his pocket in case he wanted to get rid of Larry for good.

Although Lee wasn't interested in "getting to know his competition", Larry had shown him the fragile blonde Kara Thrace, and sturdy fellow Jamie Kudel. The fat guy lost interest in getting to know those two however, as soon, as names surrounding his own on the board, had changed. Lee himself was observing them from afar. And simply doing his best to beat them in their own respective fields. He was hoping to meet either of his competitors in actual face to face confrontation sooner or later.

>>

"You. And you." Captain Borowsky, the flight instructor, pointed at Lee and… Kudel. "Top scorers, huh? We've had enough of theorizing about landing techniques, now we'll talk about the actual faults made by the pilots. And you, top-shots, will be the first to show us those mistakes. Off to the simulators, and the rest of you stays here, watching the monitors. See what you shouldn't do!"

Oh, so the teacher was sure, they would do wrong. Lee was all eager to disappoint him, having spent as much of his free hours in simms, as was possible for a first year cadet. But from the cheers given to Kudel by his group, Lee could tell, that his major opponent wasn't spending all his spare time in the lounge either.

That round of applause and encouragements that wasn't meant for him at all, made Lee's adrenaline level bounce up sky-high. He was not nearly as popular as Kudel, therefore the only one, who gave him a friendly pat on a shoulder, was Larry. But it didn't matter.

Kudel was good and – from what Lee could observe when he once wandered off to the lounge – certainly not accustomed to losing, whether it was flying or triad game. But that didn't matter either, or maybe simply added to Lee's determination. He knew this was his time to show Kudel his place in a row. And then there will only be Thrace to race against.

Lee was the first to get into his cockpit. Helmet on, shut the covers. He waited a few heart bits, and finally the program was turned on. He found himself drifting in space, among a squadron of about fifteen Vipers. They were in the middle of a battle!

Fiery arrows soared through the space around him without warning. Lee reacted instinctively, without thinking. He pulled the stick, and then made his fighter twist over to port. The move was too sudden, and it sent the machine rolling over in an out-of-control tumble.

Only by some unbelievable luck, the Viper didn't meet it's fate of a fiery ball.

"Combat landings!" the order came through the speakers, and Lee tried to focus. Stabilizers, thrusters, main engines.

He straightened his ship, and realized that all the Vipers – those run by the program, and the one piloted by Kudel – were gone. In fact – so were the enemy fighters.

One look at the draids told him where they were all headed – the Battlestar. He flipped over, and kicked the thrusters. The bird sprinted ahead, jumped over the line of cylon riders chasing the squadron, and caught up with his virtual colleagues.

This was when he realized he was coming in too hot. He was so going to crush! In a weird moment of slow-motion he wondered which one was Kudel's Viper, and he could see faces of people from his group applauding the winner of this informal competition. He saw Kudel's broad smile – a little girlish smile if anyone asked him. He saw boards, and his name slowly dropping down the list, until it joined Larry Davies' again.

Well _that _couldn't happen, but…

The thought of Kudel's satisfaction was enough to make him remember all the techniques he tried in simms so far. He was never in a situation that bad off, but at least he could use some of the thin experience he'd had. Stabilizers, and stabilizers again, and lower the thrust up until the point where engines were almost at a dead stop.

The hexagonal entrance to the landing deck was nearing quickly, but Lee's mind wandered off again, curious what Batlestar exactly was this scenario based on. It wasn't _Galactica_, the starship his father had served on during the cylon war. Lee knew the layout of that vessel very well, and it wasn't it. Maybe he'll check up later. Now…

The speed of another vessel coming in next to him, almost blew him off, right into the hull of the Battlestar. Quick blow of the stabilizer and he was back on track, and off into the tunnel. Lower, lower… Other Vipers were bursting in, bouncing, and sliding gently. The landing pods started the closing sequence. But Lee was still up in the air, still at high speed!

One more blow, gently now. He must have been around the middle of the landing pod, when one of the machines passed him bouncing from one footpad to the other in an oddly ridiculous way. Lee nearly burst out laughing, but he had to concentrate if he wanted to make it out alive. Or not humiliated at the very least.

Hoping his speed was now low enough, he pushed the Viper down, and it bounced, nose-first. Kick on the stabilizers again, and by some miracle he avoided crash again. It made him turn though, and the force of his speed kept pushing him down the pod, while thrust was about to shove him in the opposite direction. _Kill the engines! _– Lee thought.

And in a few moments his Viper was standing still, facing other Vipers' noses. Lee was relieved there weren't any real people there, to laugh at him now. He was expecting laughter as soon as they return…

Suddenly, an ugly grating sound of a metal being smashed against metal interrupted his train of thoughts. It was followed by an exasperated "Ough!", and the program ended.

Lee was sitting in a cockpit of a flight simulator, breathing heavily. Kudel was already climbing out of his cockpit, seemingly infuriated. So it was him, who crashed eventually! – Lee thought, not without satisfaction. He climbed up quickly and run after the guy.

They entered the class simultaneously, and were greeted by… laughter, cheers, screaming. The instructor was seating at his podium, smiling mockingly, and waiting for the noise to subside.

Kudel was welcomed by his friends, and Larry run towards Lee.

"Did you see that?" he was laughing so hard, he almost cried. "The guy landed like a duck. A Space-duck, kwa, kwa!"

"What?" Kudel didn't go far enough yet, not to hear that. He swirled, and gazed at no one else, but Lee.

"I didn't say anything!"

"Starduck!" Larry had to add one more comment in spite of Lee's nudging him in his side. Oh it wasn't bound to end well…

Lee saw fire in his competitor's green eyes, and braced himself just in time to take in the blow that might shatter his jaw into pieces. Instead he only ended up on the floor, slightly lightheaded, trying to count his teeth with his tongue, and feeling the swelling grow, but no pain yet.

Yeah, Kudel didn't know how to lose.

>>

t.b.c.

Yeah. Review, please!


	2. Other Extreme

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by –yannik–

Chapter Two – OTHER EXTREME

>>

"Silence!" Captain Borowsky yelled, and the effect was immediate. "You both were terrible out there. Both. But I'm sure that if you get to graduate you may be mediocre pilots. _If _you graduate. Now. You, and you, escort Miss Thrace to the brig. And you Mr. Adama, do you need to go – or be escorted – to the infirmary?"

"No, sir" Lee jumped up to his feet, staring after the classmate being led away, by two of… _her _buddies. So this was _Thrace_? Then Kudel… Ah, whatever!

"Then take your sit. You'll have the advantage of one classes over Miss Thrace. Use it well. I'll talk about all your faults step by step. Listen and learn!"

>>

The lesson was valuable, but Lee had problems concentrating. His mind was processing the news that Kudel's girlish smile was – in fact – a girl's smile. And not _Kudel's_, he had to stop naming this cadet with the name that wasn't hers. She was _Thrace_.

Maybe Larry was right, maybe it was apt to get to know the competition. So after the classes ended, Lee approached the little blonde, who was not Kara Thrace, but Jamie Kudel.

"Hi" he said.

Jamie turned around, and gasped speachless. "Hi" she breathed out, after a moment.

"So." Lee felt uncomfortable, truth be told he had no idea how this was supposed to be done. He was never one of those talkative, popular kids back at school, and it was no different now. And Jamie was apparently quite shy as well. She was just standing there, smiling, trying to shake off her friend's – who's name Lee didn't even know – hand, tugging at her sleeve. So he just inhaled, and stated: "Looks like Thrace is going to lose a few points. Maybe next time it would be the two of us in the simms."

"Yeah" Jamie nodded eagerly. "That would be great."

"Looking forward to it" Lee kept smiling like an idiot, and then he just turned around and left, his cheeks burning like the forges of Hades. Followed by girlish giggles. Frak!

"Wow!" Larry caught up with him right away. "Did you ask her out or what?"

"Larry, not now" Lee warned.

"What? She looks as if Apollo himself smiled at her" Larry laughed stupidly, and shoved Lee in his side. "So? What did you tell her?"

"Larry. This is not funny. And it's all your fault! You told me Kudel was a guy, and Thrace was… well, her!" Lee gestured towards the girl, and involuntary looked in her direction. She really made an impression of a mortal taken straight to Olimpus.

"You called her Thrace?"

"Well… no… but…"

"You're blind, Adama. She's in love with you. Wake up! Half of the girls here are in love with you."

Lee looked at his buddy incredulously. That was the stupidest thing he'd ever heard, Larry was starting to piss him off royally.

>>

Albeit the disastrous attempt at befriending one of his competitors, Lee couldn't help his curiosity. And even though he knew that could only end up in even more disaster, he wandered off to the brig, later that day.

Thrace was doing push ups on the floor, next to her bunk. She spotted him as soon as he entered, and leaped up. They stood, facing each other through the bars, in awkward silence.

"Hi" Lee said finally, a creepy sense of deja-vu throbbing in the back of his head.

"What do you want?" she barked. Oh that one was not shy! He always found it easier to interact with extrovert people, it was no different this time.

"You're losing" he said without thinking.

"What?"

"Points. And position." He started realizing this was not how he wanted this conversation to go on, but his tongue just kept on going. "You're gonna have to do hell of a job to be one of the top-scorers again" he explained mockingly.

"And you came down here to enjoy my humiliation" Thrace asked, cocking her head to the side. She was not in the slightest abashed! Lee felt stupid. Only not really. "You may whistle for it!" the blonde girl hissed, coming close to the bars. "You have no idea, who you picked a fight with, Golden Boy." There was pure contempt in her voice.

Yet another reference to the God of the Sun, healing, and the son of Zeus. And this time Lee was certain the girl referred to the last. There were still many people around, who thought he was in the military through family connections. Surprisingly at this moment Lee felt pride of being William Adama's son. For the first time in years.

He smiled.

"We'll see" he leaned to her. They were nose-to nose now. She might even try to hit him, if fancy. He grinned hissing: "Starduck" and swiftly escaped from her proximity.

>>

Three days later nobody remembered Starduck. Kara Thrace was now well known as _Starbuck._ The nick suited her in every possible way – as if she was born with it branded on her ass.

Lee couldn't stop thinking about her. She seemed to be his other extreme in every field – but competition. And even here – if he was all about ambition and hard work, she was pure talent. His pondering got him as far, as down to the rec room, about a week after the simulated landing clash.

"Oh, Golden Boy!" she noticed him immediately. "Want to lose a few cubits?" she smiled, and even if Lee wasn't sure what he was really up to, resisting her now was unimaginable.

"I don't see why not" he said taking a chair. "Care to explain me the rules?"

"You never played triad?" her eyes have gone round. "Gods, where were you raised?"

He lost more than a few cubits that day. But earned himself a private triad lessons.

"The whole game is here." She poked him in the head hard, trying to make him understand the basics. "You can't let the opponents know what cards you're having. And if you smile like an idiot, when you get full colors, nobody would bet with you. Triad face – that's what it takes."

"Like this?" Lee tried to appear serious.

"Dumb. Gods, you really are dumb, Golden Boy. I doubt I can ever teach you to play that game."

"So maybe you could teach me some other games?" he teased, not even knowing why he tried that. _That _was dumb.

"Don't. Even think about this." Kara answered coldly. She gathered her cards, and started getting up. "I gotta go."

"Hey, Thrace, don't. I'm sorry." Lee grabbed her by the wrist. "Let's get back to… ehm… explaining. And how about one more round of ambrosia?"

"Ambrosia is fine, but triad… I don't thinks so. You just don't have it in you. It takes some… I don't know… feel. For the game. The ability to fool around."

"You think I don't know how to have fun?" Lee felt offended, but Kara didn't seem to care.

"You're way to stiff" she explained and frowned. "It's like you were afraid to go against the rules all the time. Like someone was watching your every move. Hey, maybe that's just how it is, isn't it?" her face lightened in sudden understanding. "Your old man is checking up your performance here?"

"What?" Lee asked incredulously. What did that have to do with anything? He froze, anticipating her next move.

"Oh, c'mon" she laughed, "you can tell me, you know I won't tell anyone." She winked, her broad smile not melting his heart this time. The subject was too disconcerting. "Is daddy supervising your schoolwork?"

"Could we not involve my father into that?" Lee's voice was cold as stone.

"But he's already involved!" Kara Thrace just didn't get any hints, she didn't know when to stop. "He's your father, Colonel Adama. You're nothing but the son of a legend! A Golden Boy. He must be proud of you, Junior" she teased.

Lee didn't respond immediately. He tried to validate his feelings first, he didn't want to burst out in anger, or hate, or show this girl he just met, how disappointed with his father he was. No, he had to simply – and subtly – change the subject.

"You want to see me breaking the rules, Thrace?" he asked with a mischievous smile. "Just name the challenge!"

>>

She never did it. Somehow, after just couple of months, she knew him better, than he knew himself. She said it wouldn't do him any good to become one of those rebels, she was hanging out with. She said she liked him the way he was. Always by-the-book Apollo.

Besides she needed someone reliable to certify for her, if she desperately had to leave the brig earlier, in order to attend some tests that couldn't be postponed. If his reputation wasn't crystal clear, there was no way he could put it at stake for her benefit.

>>

There were moments when he couldn't bail her out though. Early in the second year she ended up in a brig for fifth time in space of only two weeks – for drunk and disorderly. In fact Lee felt partially responsible for that, since he lost patience with her. He tried to drag her out of the rec room for two hours, and finally gave up and left her there with her gang, knowing far too well, that – given all the booze she absorbed – it was highly hazardous.

But he left her anyway.

And Thrace, with a couple of guys broke in to Major "Bunny" Rabbit's office, trying to leave a king-size mascot on his desk. Of course they were caught, and of course they were thrown to the hack. But this time the rumor spread, that the Major was intending to press charges, and that might end up with the three of them being expelled from the Academy. Especially Kara, who already exceeded all limits of insubordination.

"You okay, Starbuck?" Lee asked standing right behind the bars. He was genuinely concerned – Thrace was actually _sitting _on her bunk!

"Yeah" she said rising, and coming closer. She rested her forehead on the bars and… she started crying. He'd never seen her cry!

"Hey." Lee wanted to comfort her. He really did, but it was just so odd. Before he could react, she started talking.

"You know. We were going to fly real Vipers next month, and…" her voice faltered, and she choke a little.

"We… " Lee hesitated. He wasn't sure if he understood. "We _are _going to."

"_You _are. I'm going back home, and my mom…" Kara wavered again. Her voice caught up in her throat, the sentence unfinished.

"She's going to be disappointed" Lee assumed. That's how his parents… his father would feel. But Thrace contradicted.

"She's going to be thrilled!" she yelled, looking up at him. "She's going to have it black-on-white, that Kara is a screw-up!"

Lee blinked. He just didn't understand. How can a parent be glad that her kid is a screw-up? But looking at her he decided not to dwell on that, it was safer this way with Kara. He had a feeling she already regretted her words.

"Hey" he said instead, "you're going to get into that Viper in no-time. Bunny has some sense of humor, I'm sure he won't press charges over something that insignificant as a mascot." He looked at her, and saw a spark of laughter in her teary eyes. "Meanwhile… I bribed the guard, so I'll be sleeping in that cell over there. I'll keep you company tonight" he explained to her bemused look.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Yeah, like last year, when I came to you, after you messed my face" he reminded her, and she laughed at the memory. Lee entered the adjacent cell, and sat on the bunk. It was _not _comfortable. "So" he started with a smile. "We'll be spending the night together, Thrace!"

"Like frak, Adama!" she laughed again.

"Not in the slightest."

He lay down, and she started exercising.

"So. You can't wait to get into that Viper?" Lee asked after a moment, but she did not respond. He stopped hearing her gasps and puffs, and looked over. She was not doing her sit-ups, but crouched watching him closely.

"Why are you putting up with me?" she finally asked.

"I don't know" he had to give it a thought. "Maybe you remind me of Zak? Of the way I was always bailing him out of trouble. He's a born troublemaker."

"You miss him?"

"No. After the whole summer of him making me talk about the Flight School, I'm quite relieved now."

Kara chuckled. "What have you told him about me?"

"About you? Nothing! Megalomanic bitch. He's only been interested in Vipers! Which makes him even more like you."

"You keep babbling about him to me to no end, and you tell him nothing about me? That's frakking unfair!" Kara returned to her exercises.

Lee smiled to himself. It was disturbing to see her sitting so hopeless, and devastated earlier. It was a good idea to keep her company that night. Even though there were rumors, and she might even believe them, he was optimistic. He was sure there was no way anyone would throw out the most promising young talent from the Flight School, over a bunny mascot.

"You have no choice tonight!" he told her, to annoy her some more, but she was in an odd mood.

"You know you could get into trouble for this" she actually reminded him of the rules.

"For staying in a hack, though I do not deserve it?" he laughed.

"Yeah." She hesitated for a moment. And then thanked him in her own very special way. "That's, like, the most stupid thing anyone has ever done for me."

"Hey, that's what friends are for."

"Gee, Adama. Do you always have to make it _by-the-rules_? Even if you're actually breaking them?"

"That's me. Like it or not."

"I choose to like it tonight. But you're still dumb."

>>

t.b.c.

NOTE: feel free to point out all the mistakes you noticed. But you may also tell me what was nice.

-Y-


	3. Proximity

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

DISCLAIMER TWO: Some of the events described in the first part of the chapter were inspired by real-life events taken from F-16!dot!net, so they're not mine either.

NOTE: I was inspired to write some parts of this story by a few other fics. Mostly: Drunk and Disorderly by Waldo. I highly recommend, it's fun.

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by –yannik–

Chapter Three – PROXIMITY

>>

Lee was right, and Kara ended up with only a reprimand to add to her growing collection. But the threat of being expelled was enough to straighten her up… for three months.

Those were the three months that she outraced every cadet in their year and most of the best in the history of Flight School. Those were the three months, when Lee thought she was better off being defiant, because this new Starbuck was inevitable. Besides she was not really herself, even though Lee loved the hours they were spending together in the air. He was torn, and didn't really know which Starbuck he'd prefer.

Both their IPs were astounded with the performance of their young students. Too bad none was as condemnatory as Basic Flight instructor, and Thrace wasn't hearing that she may achieve mediocre results at best. That had been mitigating her somewhat – now she was on the loose.

One day, after the flight she turned to Lt. Solace, sitting behind her, and shouted: "I'm a damned Viper pilot, I don't need an IP in the back, I can fly by myself!"

The next day there was a one-seat Viper Mk III waiting for her before the practice. Slower, and less powerful than Mk Vs they were flying, but once again she was rewarded – instead of punished – for insubordinate behavior.

Lee felt a sharp sting of jealousy, that did not escape the eyes of his IP.

"Personally I think you would handle a Viper all by yourself too" Lt. Julian winked at him, and pointed behind Thrace's machine.

Another one-seat Viper was standing there, all shiny and anticipating.

"Seriously?" Lee couldn't believe that. Students weren't allowed in the air without an IP before they were past the second year of training. At least not usually, though he heard about a few exceptions.

"Seriously" Lt. Julian replied. "To be honest I'd trust you more, than her – you're reliable." She squinted, and then her face relaxed in an honest smile. "Just don't get each other killed!"

"Yes, sir!"

Lee climbed into the cockpit, hearing Thrace already shutting her canopy.

"Woo-hoo!" she yelled inside his helmet. "Off we go, Apollo!"

"Starbuck, just because there's no one sitting behind you, doesn't mean that Flight Control can't hear you. Try to follow the protocol!" Lee reminded.

"Apollo, Starbuck – Flight Control. Take off, and fly formation to the Crimson Point and back. Apollo in the lead."

"Why?" Kara shouted.

"Starbuck. Protocol." Lee reminded.

"Flight Control – Starbuck" she spat. He could almost see her impatience, and had to suppress the laughter. "Why do I have to fly his wing? I'm a better pilot!"

"Starbuck, you have your orders. Follow them. Now take off!" came through the speakers, and luckily Kara knew better than to argue again.

Soon they were up in the air.

>>

She was pissed. She was oh-so-pissed! She'd proven them time and again how outstanding she was and that was all she was going to get in return? They gave Apollo a single-seated viper as well? Alright, so he was good, but not as good as her! And furthermore he was in the lead! That was unbearable. But all she could do was to comply. Adama was right about one thing – she'd learn more outside the brig.

"Flight Control – Apollo" her speakers squeaked. "Can we try some maneuvers, or should we just fly straight ahead?"

"Apollo you have full liberty here. You're the leader."

Maneuvers? Starbuck's heart speeded up it's pace. Yes, maneuvers, Apollo! Figure out something dazzling, like a loop, or better yet – a loop with a barrel roll. Double barrel roll.

"Starbuck, how about a barrel roll?" _A what? _"On my mark, three-two-one, now!"

Apollo's viper in front of her spun gently to it's back, and spun over to normal position. Frak! A barrel roll? That was below her!

Almighty Starbuck was all eager to show them all what she was capable of doing, even if it meant bending the rules a little. Just a little. She spun her machine half-barrel, thrust it forward, adjusted her speed with Apollo's and hanged above him, smiling deviously.

"Starbuck! What the frak are you doing?"

"Hanging there!"

She didn't see him clearly, but she had that face of his pictured in her head. That confused look, when he had no idea, how to react to one of her stunts. It always made her so amused.

Warning signal buzzed on her console. Proximity alert!

"Starbuck, break formation!" Apollo ordered, and lowered his viper rapidly.

Almost too rapidly if she could tell, suddenly frightened. He was moving toward the ground really quickly. She straightened her machine, and watched Lee's viper getting smaller, and smaller below her.

"Apollo! Pull up! Pull up!" she yelled, hoping he could hear her, hoping he had enough common sense and skills not to get himself killed. Wishing she was there instead of him, because she would get out of this situation with ease, and he… With a great relief, after what seemed to be hours, she finally saw him pulling up.

"Starbuck, we're at Crimson Point" he noted calmly. Damn! Was that even him in that cockpit? How could he sound so composed after nearly crashing? Or maybe it was only her imagination? Maybe he really wasn't in any danger? "We're turning back. Join my wing, and take the mark by port." She formed up with him, and they flew around the large red rock, like one. She tried to catch a glimpse of him in his cockpit, but it was impossible. She could only rely on his steady voice. It was the first time Kara Thrace thought that Lee Adama was actually better than her, being able to put together many factors – flying, while analyzing the variables, while commanding… Then she quickly forgot that concept.

>>

"You were scared" Lee teased, when they were going to the rec room in the evening that day.

"What? When?"

"When you yelled 'pull up!' like a Virgon titlark."

"I didn't!"

"You _so _did" Lee laughed. Lee Adama actually laughed at her!

"Don't…" She waved a finger at him, but just couldn't bark out anything more. She wasn't really angry. She was really happy. The day was great, she did fly on her own for the first time, she performed quite a unique stunt, nobody got killed, she was only lightly reprimanded for endangering her classmate and herself. Everything was great. And she was going to celebrate. Another reason for happiness was that Lee seemed to actually loosen up a bit. _He _was the one who proposed having some ambrosia over that first independent flight, since it was almost weekend. He wouldn't do that in the middle of the week of course, he was Lee.

Of course it would be too good if he was the one to get wasted. No, she was the one to be dragged out of the rec room by force – as usual. And frankly that's when her evening became a blur. She still felt elated, and wanted to have a good time, but somehow she woke up in the morning, half naked, in the fountain at the town's square.

She was wondering if Lee could explain to her why he didn't tuck her in her bed, like he always had, when she'd been done in like that.

>>

First he took off her boots. He hated doing that, there had to be some way to stop her from drinking that much! She'd been almost sober for three months – few drinks notwithstanding. Why did she have to ruin such a good day?

When he wanted to take her jacket off, he noticed she was looking at him with quite a lucid stare.

"What?"

"I was scared" she whispered. Her palm caressed his chin absentmindedly. "Was it close? Or did it just look like that from where I sat?"

Lee had to think for a moment, trying to remember. He reacted instinctively, not really processing the data in his head at the time.

"It must have been close. But not dangerously close. I guess."

Her palm wandered to his neck, his ear. Her fingers pressed gently, and he bent. She pulled him closer, until their lips touched. She was soft, and smelled ambrosia. Ambrosia and honey. Her lips parted slightly, and…

Lee realized what they were doing.

"Stop" he whispered in a weak voice, trying to push her away. But she only hummed seductively. "Stop, Kara. Please, stop."

"I know you want it!"

"No, I don't! _Stop_!" He pushed her harder, and held at arm length, staring in her shining eyes. Yes, he wanted that! She smiled, and bit her lower lip. "Listen" Lee struggled not to give in, "I thought you made it cleat that you didn't want it to get physical between us. That when you said, that when I thought you were a guy… That I should stick to that! Kara, you were…"

"I lied" she stated in a tempting whisper. And tried to pull him to her once more. But he knew better than that.

"No. You didn't. And you're going to regret that tomorrow, you're going to be pissed with me, and you…"

Suddenly she stopped. She released him, and the look on her face shifted so rapidly, Lee couldn't read her for a moment.

"You think I'm ugly" she spat dumbfounding him completely.

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do."

"Kara!"

"You see me as just another guy, that's how you see me!"

"Because you wanted that!"

"Feldercarb!"

"Frak!"

They fell silent and then she jolted up and run out of the bunkroom, so suddenly he didn't follow her. He couldn't find the strength to move at this moment.

>>

In the morning her rack was still empty. Lee stood there, watching it, wondering where she'd gone, where she'd spent the night, whether she was safe. He knew she was safe. She was Starbuck, she could deal with anything. Probably.

"You're not going to believe that!" He heard her voice from the door and spun, unable to suppress his joy. But seeing her he gasped. Her hair dangled in wet strands, her sweatpants, and tank top were soaked, and she was barefoot. Well, obviously, since he took her boots off, right before she started… What she started.

"Good Lords, Kara!" he breathed out. "What happened to you?"

"What does it look like?" she spat with fury.

"Like you spent the night in a lake?"

"In the fountain actually, but you were close. I gotta change." She sneezed loudly, and beckoned him out of her private area.

She got sick as a result of that adventure of course and Lee couldn't decide whether he should feel guilty over that, or enjoy every second of helpless, feverish Kara. He teased her as she begged for fresh tissues, water, medications and some food. He was taking care of her tenderly, but couldn't help a few jokes here and there. Besides that was the best way to get Kara onto her feet quicker.

Besides joking was the best way to lead her off of the subject of _that _evening.

But as her fever was dropping down she became more and more persistent.

"What actually happened?" she inquired strongly, couple of days after the incident.

"You got drunk" Lee replied, not looking in her direction. He pretended to be very busy with his shoe-lace.

"Like that's unusual" Kara mocked.

"You got wasted."

"Well, that doesn't explain me ending up in the fountain either" she insisted. "Not that I blame _you _for anything, I know myself, but it's rare that you can't manage to get me to bed when I'm wasted."

"Actually _you _wanted to get _me _to bed this time" he voiced, before he could think what he was saying. Once the words hung between them, he felt silly. He didn't mean to say it. Furthermore – he didn't mean it to sound so scornfully. He didn't look up, but he could hear her shifting in the sheets.

"You're kiddin' right?" she asked.

"Nop." His heart skipped one bit as he looked up, but – to his surprise – he saw her beautiful broad smile.

"Impossible!" she exclaimed, really amused. "I mean – don't get me wrong – you're hot and all, and I can tell there are a few girls around that are looking at you with calf's eyes, but… me?"

"You."

"Really?"

"Really." It started to amuse him too. At least she didn't think he considered her ugly anymore.

"No way."

"Yes way. And I'll tell you more – if you do that one more time, I will not be all righteous and propper anymore. Frak friendship. So beware." Her eyes widened at this statement, and Lee felt he could no longer face her, or else he would have to kiss her. "I got classes."

>>

Couple of days later Kara ended up in the brig again. And then everything returned to normal. They were flying the hell out of their vipers; teasing each other on every level, including their almost-sex; he was bailing her out of the hack and all inconvenient situations; she was hearing out all his complains about not being prepared enough for various tests, therefore achieving only A-, or missing his baby-brother and mommy. They were the living negation of the saying that friendship between man and a woman was impossible.

"We're the least likely couple of buddies in the entire Academy."

"Probably. You think people are talking about us?"

"Like… that we're having sex or something?"

"That too. But more like 'how can such a good and proper student like Adama put up with this monster Thrace?' Not to mention our diverse heritage. We're everything but alike."

"Let's see. Sociable vs. loner."

"Ambitious and hard working vs. lucky blighter."

"Talent vs. drudgery."

"And I can fly a viper, while you're lousy."

"No. _I _can fly a viper, and _you're _lousy."

"Just check our performances. Check the scores. How many times you made mistakes, and how many times I did. It all adds up. I'm better."

"Just check top scores. They're all mine."

"So you have your ups and downs, but I'm more consistent. That's what really matters."

"You wouldn't catch me even if you…"

"Oh, just remember your first sim landing… Star-Duck!"

She fell silent and gave him dangerous look. But then she backed off.

"You're not going to get to me" she declared calmly. "I'm not going to let you upset me, Junior. Not this time. I'll just ignore it."

Lee eyed her up and down, with his most chilling stare.

"Oh really?" he hissed. "Ignore it, huh?"

"Mhm."

"Then why the payback?"

"Payback?" her eyes widened sweetly, as she rose her eyebrows in pure innocence.

"I'm not Junior!" He leaned to her. "And nobody even makes assumptions like that anymore! I proved my own value thousand times! I have the best scores in our year."

"You think you can impress _me_, Junior? 'I'm the best', woo-hoo!"

"Don't you dare implying that I got here through some family connections! You know better than that! You know, that I'm aiming at some all-time records, I'll beat all of my father's tops."

"Not to mention that some of those already bear my name."

"Maybe. But you and I both know whom you own those."

"Myself?"

"If I wasn't pushing you to work harder, you would be nowhere now!"

"What would I do without you, Apollo? Really. What is it they say? It takes eighty percentof hard working, and twenty percent of talent to be successful. You know what? It doesn't matter how hard you work, you'll always be twenty percent behind me."

"Except that you work twenty percent of what you could, so you're sixty percent behind me!"

"Sure. Your's must be always on top, Junior, you are…"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Frak off!" She gazed at him, and suddenly her expression softened. "I know" she gasped as the realization hit. "Your old man comes for a few guest lectures at the end of the semester. That's why you're so pissy!"

>>

t.b.c.

As always reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated :).


	4. History Lesson

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by -yannik-

Chapter Four- HISTORY LESSON

>>

"Lee it _was _perfect!" Kara exclaimed impatiently. "Have a drink." She poured him another glass of ambrosia, hoping that would shut him up. But he was unstoppable in his whining this day.

"I felt shudder" he muttered semi-coherently. "That meant that one footpad touched the pod earlier than the other. I must work on it next time." At least all this ambrosia should put him to sleep eventually, if there was no chance of keeping him from talking.

"Too bad, you won't be exercising for the next few days, since we're going back planetside first thing in the morning" Kara retorted, glancing around the rec room. The triad team was just taking their places, Kitten waved for her to join them, and Kara was all eager to go.

"No!" she heard Lee's response, and met his incredulous sight. Oh, he meant coming back down from the Orbital Station – she got back to their conversation.

"Like you didn't know that!" she teased, getting up.

"That's tomorrow? I'm staying. I need to improve… Where are you going?" he finally noticed she wasn't listening to him anymore.

"Lee." Kara leaned to him, taking this last chance at making him stop. "Are you obsessed?" she asked. "You're doing great! You could land that viper on a qubit, and there is only one person in our year that could do that, so you really don't need to chastise yourself."

"You mean you are that person?" Lee asked, with a wink, and she smiled.

"Who else? So, are you going to join us over there?" She pointed the triad table, where the guys already started dealing, so she could just as well wait that round. She gazed at Lee intently. "Or are you going to sit here and keep complaining?"

"Ah, what the frak!" he groaned. "Let's lose a few qubits."

>>

Their first viper space exercise program came to an end, and Kara couldn't suppress a small pang of regret. She was going to miss it over the two-months vacation. The only consolation was that next year was to be all about space exercises. She felt she belonged here.

"What are you dreaming about, Starbuck?" She woke up with a start to a friendly voice. Lee was sitting opposite from her in the shuttle, and was smiling broadly. "I never thought I would see that kind of look on your face."

"I'm going to miss this" she admitted.

"Yeah" he agreed. "Me too. But you have to stop dreaming and start learning if you want to pass theoretical exams with such expertise as your practical tests."

She couldn't deny that. But she didn't have to be all cheerful about that either. "Guess we're starting with history lectures today. Hey!" she suddenly remembered. "Isn't your father going to talk about the cylon war?"

His darkened expression was all the answer she got.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked, and when he still didn't say anything, she tried another approach. "You know what's weird, you keep complaining about your mom, your brother… I think you were even mad at your grandpa when he sent you wool mittens for your birthday… But I can't remember you really complaining about your dad. When you were talking about him, these were always facts, nothing personal. It's not like you. Lee?" It didn't work either.

"You'll meet him" finally he informed her in a soft voice. "If you want."

"I'd be honored."

"Of course."

They haven't spoken about the Colonel Adama again, until after the lecture. They approached him as he was packing his gear, had some small talk about Academy, Lee introduced Starbuck, and his father praised her accomplishments. He event asked her to remind herself to him when she graduates, because – assuming that he'd get the command of a carrier by the time, which was likely, _Lee, I'd like to talk to you tomorrow, by the way_ – he'd like to have an impressive pilot like her on his Star. He then excused himself, as he had a meeting with Academy celebrities.

"He seems nice" Kara commented.

"Yeah. Considering he almost gave you a job offer."

"Are you jealous?" she teased, amused.

"It's unlikely that I'd get to serve on the same carrier as my old man. It's against the regs. Besides I want to achieve whatever position I'll have in my life – all by myself" he explained in his very eloquent 'Lee Adama' manner.

For a moment they walked side by side in silence, Kara shaking her head. But she couldn't hold herself back too long. "Why do you detest him so much?" she asked.

"Kara…"

"No" she interrupted, turning andwalking backwards, her eyes squarely on his. She never strayed from the path though, no matter how it twisted and turned, which was amazing. "He loves you" she asserted. "He fraking loves you! Did you see how he looked at you? He gave _me _an offer, but he was looking at _you _all the time." She poked her finger at his chest. "He did this because of you. It was his form of approval of your choice of friends."

"Right" Lee replied bitterly. "Starbuck admits that someone did something for her _not _because of her supreme greatness. I must be in some kind of parallel universe, in which you…"

"You're incredibly stupid" she interrupted, turning her back on him, and rushing away.

"Kara, wait!"

"You know what?" She turned again, and he almost knocked her off her feet. Or rather knocked himself over her. Their faces nearly touched as she hollered him over. "The man is not going to _remember _me in two days. The only reason he said all that, was you. And you… all you do is give him a cold shoulder. I'm an objective observer here Lee. And I know you, and… I know what I see. You're unbelievingly stupid" she stopped her tirade, and was obviously expecting equally clever response. But all he could manage was:

"He left me. Us."

They eyed each other, Kara still shaking her head disbelievingly. Then she stepped back, expanding the distance between them.

"He left your mother" she said quietly, "that I might agree with, but you? How?"

"I'm not just saying about the divorce. He's never been home, always putting his duty before his family. I just…"

"Lee. Wake up. Half of the people in the Academy have parents in the military. Some of them both. It's so low to be whining like you do. I thought better of you."

"Maybe I have reasons!" Now he was getting angry. He knew how he felt, damn it! Even if he couldn't really explain it. "I don't know…" Then he remembered one of his all time arguments. "Divorce is like the worst thing a parent can do to a kid, tearing the family apart…" but this time it didn't seem to work. Kara's face had suddenly turned white. "What? What is it?"

"The worst…" she stammered. "You have _no. Idea. _What the worst thing is _No. Idea._" Suddenly she started speaking really fast. Like she lost control over her tongue and her mouth. "It's when your parent doesn't love you – this is the worst. When she hates you to the point that she wants you dead. That she wants to kill you or hurt you…" she stopped abruptly. She almost seemed willing to erase those last words.

And Lee suddenly remembered all those unfinished sentences, those interrupted chats about their families, or short moments when she revealed that her mother would be pleased to know that Kara failed something yet again. And now, seeing Starbuck – almighty Starbuck – melting in front of him into this frightened, vulnerable six year old girl, made him feel like he got hit in the stomach. Hard. He'd been so… so low.

"Kara…" he tried to apologize, but was at a loss for words.

"Forget it." She turned around and wanted to go away. Run away. But he caught her arm.

"No. No, frak, Kara…"

"Go away!" She yanked her hand free.

"Were you abused?" he had to ask. Maybe he shouldn't have, maybe it was too intimate question to ask, but he needed to know, he needed to maybe help her. If she only let him…

She looked at him with her usually green eyes now turned gray. And hard. Like stones.

"Never. Ever. Ask. That. Question. Again. Now leave me alone."

She didn't want his help.

>>

Over the next few days Lee Adama was the most popular cadet in the entire Academy; the legend of "Husker" hadn't faded away over the years.

"Your dad is so amazing" Larry kept the closest, and Kara's absence really helped him. Lee wondered if Starbuck would ever speak to him again, at the same time trying to silence Larry's chatter. "I mean he's a _legend_. It's so amazing to actually hear the legend talk in front of you. It's probably not a big deal for you, right? I mean he's your dad, you've heard all those stories thousand times already. It must have been wonderful to grow up with him. To be risen by him. I mean he's so…"

"Larry. Shut up" Lee couldn't listen to that any longer. "And in fact… I gotta get going. See, I have an appointment with a legend, and making him wait wouldn't be wise. So if you'd excuse me." He turned away, and left Larry standing there. He said those last sentences deliberately – he wanted to piss Larry off. And from the look of jealousy on Larry's face Lee knew he succeeded. Oh, the guy was probably hoping that Lee would introduce him to the great "Husker", but he was never intending to. He introduced Starbuck, because he was aware she would win old man's esteem. Whatever she said – his father approved of her because of how great pilot she was, not because she was Lee's friend.

There was that thing however that she said… about parental love or lack of it… That changed his attitude towards his dad, because – after all – he probably _was _loved. At least none of his parents ever tried to hurt him.

"Colonel Adama, sir!" Lee entered the small office at the back of the lecture room and saluted his father.

"At ease, cadet" The older Adama smiled, and his happiness seemed genuine. "Please sit down." He gestured towards the chair. "How did you like my lecture?"

"Well…" Lee hesitated. He didn't expect such a blunt question.

"Oh, I know" his father's smile grew even bigger. "A viper pilot shouldn't be talking about history. We're the men of action, not story telling. But sometimes you must do that as well."

Lee smiled and there was a brief moment of silent understanding between the two Adama men. Lee knew now what it meant to fly a viper and he really did understand his father's love for the job.

"I asked you to meet me" the Colonel started speaking after a moment, "because I wanted to personally invite you to my promotion ceremony. It won't be a big deal, but Admiral Nagala told me I'm going to take command of the _Minos _next month. I don't exactly know when, but I will let you know. Your mother and brother will receive a written invitation too."

"_Minos _is a freighter, is it?"

"It's no Battlestar. But it's good enough." Great Husker seemed disappointed. But Lee didn't think there was anything he could say to change that. "I hope Caroline will come?" his father asked after a moment.

"I don't know" Lee sighed. "You'll have to ask her."

"Yeah, I know. How has she been doing?" Why did he have to ask that? Why did they have to talk about things that Lee would more readily forget about?

He braced himself before he answered "She's fine. Hanging on." He sincerely hoped that would be enough, that now they would change the subject, but somehow it didn't seem plausible.

Lee realized he was staring at his tightly gripped palms, while waiting for his father's response.

"I knew she would be fine" finally the old man spoke in this cold, steady voice of his. "It makes me all the more convinced that all that breakdown of hers was just an act." That made Lee lift his gaze. Husker was eyeing him with his most keen stare. No, Lee didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to think about it, remember. But maybe he just looked at his father questioningly, because the old man continued. "She wanted me back. She thought she'd blackmail me this way, that she wasn't able to take care of you boys, that she couldn't take care of the house. But when I came home that summer, unexpectedly, remember?" Yes, Lee remembered. "Everything looked tidy, both of you clean and fed well. But she still started her act. Crying, rending her garments. Then I knew it was an act." Why was he saying this? What did he want? Lee only gritted his teeth, and tried not to listen. He didn't want to. "She called me half a year later." She did? "She said all was well, she apologized for bothering me earlier. She said she didn't need me to be checking up on her anymore." She did? "Finally she slipped that she found someone. That's all she needed, to lean on some…"

"Why?" Lee interrupted finally, unable to bear anymore. He felt blood in his veins turn from ice to fire, from fire to ice. "Why are you saying all this? What's the purpose of this conversation? What do you want from me? To say that she was a bad mother? That you were a good father? What? Okay, so I get it, she was playing her games, right? So she was. You were. Playing with me and Zak. But no more. I won't let you play with my head anymore! You won't be telling me that she's evil! I don't want to hear any of you saying that the other one is guilty of all the bad in the world! I've had it! Hear me? I've had it!"

Lee didn't even know when he started screaming, when he stood up to hover above the Colonel, staring in his frightened, surprised eyes. He didn't remember how he stormed out of the office, how he run through the school-yard, rushed into the bunkroom, onto his rack, shut the curtains tight. He didn't remember, he didn't know. He didn't want to remember those months after the divorce, but they were coming in flooding waves, overwhelming him, swallowing him completely, until all he could do was sit there, shaking, unaware of the world revolving around, and around, and around…

>>

He missed Kara. The final days of the school year were gloomy and cold, despite the warm Picon summer. He needed someone to make him smile.

But he wasn't sure if she missed him too. The way he acted – whining and moping around, when he didn't really have problems… Did he? No, he didn't. Not when compared to her. His behavior must have really pissed her off, and he couldn't blame her. Would she ever be able to forgive him? Would she be able to allow him back?

He wasn't even sure who was avoiding whom these days, because each time he saw her, he turned away and walked the opposite direction. That was silly, if he wanted to talk to her eventually.

But then there came a day, when he couldn't run away any more. In fact he just couldn't move, captivated by the sight of her.

It was the day of graduation ceremony and ball. After the service ended, cadets went to prepare for the more pleasant activity. Some decided to wait at the bar, some went to their bunkrooms to change. Lee – as most of the students – was wearing dress gray. In fact he didn't want to go at all, but it was a kind of informal duty, so he had to. He didn't need to change his outfit, but he went to his bunkroom nonetheless.

And stopped in the hatch quite astounded.

Kara decided to wear a dress. He never expected that of her. And he definitely didn't expect her to be that breathtaking.

As she turned around and spotted him, she smiled sheepishly. "I was just going to take that off" she admitted.

"What? Why?" He neared her. "You look… good. Too good" he smiled. And she laughed. And then they laughed together.

"It's so not my style!" she finally snapped when she was able to control herself enough.

"But still it looks great."

"You think so?"

"Don't I always say what I think?"

"No. You don't."

"Well. Now I do."

Surprising even himself, he slowly lifted his hand, and touched her cheek. And before he knew it, her palm was on the back of his neck, she pulled him gently and their lips touched. He looked into her eyes from so close. Green, and shining, sparkling with joy, with life.

"Where have you been those last few days?" she whispered, and her breath tickled his mouth.

"Sleeping there, as usual" he whispered back not making a move. He didn't want to break the spell. He felt her. One hand on his back, the other one lower, on his side, sliding under his dress gray. Her forehead pressed against his, tips of their noses touching. His fingers resting lightly on her chin. Her warmth radiating through the dress, her entire body shifting elusively, rhythmically in anticipation, in a promise.

What if someone comes in? – he thought. He didn't lock the hatch. Who cares? He couldn't go away from her now, they would never get back to the pose they were in. The magic would perish, the tension of the moment would just disappear, and he couldn't allow that. He caressed her neck, placed his other hand lightly on her hip, lifted her chin with a small move of his finger. She complied willingly. And their lips met again, this time more confidently. Hers were soft, her breath hot and deep, her hands demanding, voracious as she pressed his head to hers, embracing him, stroking his hair.

He allowed himself to lose control, to drown in her heat, her fire, her softest, wettest kiss. He wanted this moment to last eternity, he wanted to forget about the outside world. And he nearly did.

But then someone started opening the hatch.

Lee froze, and his eyes snapped open. He saw Kara's eyes again, sparkling like before. And he felt her pull him down, on top of her, on her rack. She pulled the curtains shut swiftly, and bit her lips to suppress laughter.

He was too freaked out to laugh. In fact he had a problem just gathering his thoughts. So he just rested his head on her arm and sighed. And they just waited for their roommate to finish whatever he needed, and get the hell out of there.

>>

t.b.c.

NOTE: One sentence in this story was taken from a story by Wisteria; I can't remember the title, and I don't have the link anymore. It was on her lifejournal. Really cool story. If the author ever reads what I wrote here, and wishes me to take that sentence away - just let me know.  
-Y-


	5. All The Way

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

NOTE: Great thanks for many encouraging reviews! Love you all people!

WARNING: This chapter is rated "M", so I recommend being sixteen or over before reading it.

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by –yannik–

Chapter Five – ALL THE WAY

>>

Kara held her breath, focusing all her might on suppressing laughter. This was so crazy! So incredibly unbelievable. Okay, they were physical before – sparring in the gym, fooling around in the rec room. Many times. But never like that.

Oh, he said they were. Once. And that he stopped it then. And that he wasn't going to stop it, if it ever happened again. So it was all on her, she had to act before it gets out of hand.

But it already got. And she didn't want to stop.

She felt his body on top of hers, unmoving. Almost too heavy – but pleasantly heavy. His legs knotted with hers, their hips, their bellies touching, his chest – each breath taken – pressing gently against hers. His head in the crook of her neck. Se wondered if he tried not to laugh as hard as she did. Whoever dared to come into their bunkroom, was now rummaging through one of the lockers, and didn't seem to be leaving anytime soon.

Kara needed to see Lee's face. She needed to know how amused he was, so she lifted his head gently, and he looked up, adjusting his arms position, swallowing hard. The bewildered look in his eyes was priceless. She shut her eyes and her mouth even tighter, knowing she was about to burst and lose it completely.

His finger pressed against her lips. "Shh" he whispered.

She shook her head. No. No way she could control it! No way! She looked at him again. Into his eyes so blue, so lovely.

She wanted him.

She reached to his collar. To the top button. And to the button below that one, and to the next one…

"What are you doing?" he whispered, quite startled.

"Trying not to rip your tidy uniform apart" she whispered back. "That would be a shame, wouldn't it? You are always so in order, I must be careful not to spoil your image…"

"Kara…"

"Shh. Could you move a little" she instructed, fighting with his attire. "I'm having problems with this belt… Oh, there you go. Now rise your hand, I must take it off."

"Kara?"

"Yes, like this, thank you."

"There are people there!"

"So? It makes this all the more exciting!"

"Please"

She stopped just to look at him. His scared demeanor was so damn sexy! But she could tell he wanted that, just by the way his lips… slightly parted… trembled.

"Left arm now" she commanded, ignoring his objections, and fighting to ignore her own desire, for just a little while longer. "The sleeve won't come off if you don't lift your hand a little, you know? Yes, thank you. Now the right hand."

"Kara!"

"C'mon Lee, you're complying so far, so stop talking like a Geminese bride. Tank tops go up!" she lifted the material of his T-shirt, feeling his skin under her fingers. As electric shock soared through her whole body, she couldn't suppress a shudder, and from the look in his eyes, she knew he felt it too. "Arms up" she breathed out.

He must have finally realized he wasn't going to break it off this time, because he just sighed and whispered "Yes, sir" with a shyly-greedy smile.

And then he surrendered all of his self-control. He leaned down and kissed her décolletage, sending fiery darts up and down her skin. The way his hands slid her dress down her arms made her squeak, but he immediately pressed his lips to hers, muffling the sound. Oh whatever! She didn't care anymore, she didn't mind anyone catching them, here, now.

What mattered, were his fingers unfastening her bra, impatient, craving. What mattered was the swiftness of making each other naked. Were they quick enough? Their bare skins chafing wildly, their hands searching eagerly for the right spot, their breaths uniting. His in, her out, her in, his out. And in, and out, and in, and out. And oh! How would she even care to notice the door being finely shut? The world didn't exist anyway, there were just the two of them and that was right. That was meant to be. This moment.

A kiss, the softest, the loveliest, immersing herself inside him, in his strong arms, embracing everything he had to offer. This was the sweetest gift, the nectar, the real ambrosia. She wanted that. She wanted that so much, she couldn't breath. She didn't want to breath! She only wanted to taste him, feel him, love him…

The world spun. Spun out of control. But who would want control? Who would want…

Oh!

…anything but this…

She trembled in his embrace. Breathed heavily, laying on the muddled sheets on her rack. What happened? What had just happened? No. No time to question that, not just yet. They were together and that was right. That was meant to be. This moment.

She wanted this moment to last. Forever if possible. There was nothing beyond it. Just him and her. Just him and her…

As he rested his forehead on her arm, she inhaled the scent of his cologne. Not too intense, but easily perceptible. Exactly the right amount. This was Lee Adama after all. Her very own Apollo.

She loved him.

"Kara" he whispered.

"Shh…"

"What just happened, Kara?"

"Shh, don't say anything."

He looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. She wanted to kiss him again. But she also wanted to just watch him.

"I love you" he mouthed.

And she couldn't resist. Couldn't lie right now. "I love you too" and that was real.

He leaned to kiss her. A long, soft, passionate kiss. When they parted, her guts were full of fire, and she knew she didn't have enough. She was nowhere near enough.

"What does that mean for us?" he asked and she put a finger to his lips.

"Don't speak. Don't. Just let this moment last. Forever." She kissed him again. "Let this moment. Last."

And they did it again. This time longer, slower.

>>

In the morning she was gone.

Lee got up abruptly, when he realized where he lay. What happened last night. And that she wasn't there. His heart stopped beating as he eyed outside, checking if her things were still in place.

They were. She didn't leave yet. Transport to Caprica was about to take them home in the afternoon, but she mentioned a couple of times, that she wanted different vacation. What mattered though was that she was still there. That they would see each other. He couldn't help but smile softly.

He couldn't help but wonder if he could somehow talk her into meeting over the summer. Anytime, anywhere…

She returned when he was in the middle of folding his shirts.

"We need to make some things clear" she started without a single 'hello'.

"Kara. Hey!" He stepped towards her. "Where have you been?" he asked, but she did not answer.

"Yesterday… didn't happen" she said instead.

And rendered him speechless.

"What?" he mouthed, not really trying to comprehend what she meant. Not really wanting to comprehend.

So she explained. "It didn't happen. It can't happen. There are rules and regulations regarding fraternization in the army, and we're not going to break them."

"Since when are _you _the one who's about the rules?" he cut in angrily.

She looked at him with a serious expression. "This one I'm not going to break" she said softly. "Because this one I understand. I can't let my feelings control my actions. It could get dangerous. That's all. It didn't happen."

"You want me to just pretend?…"

"That's right."

They fell silent again, and Lee tried to sort out everything she said. It made no sense! But then – did anything ever make sense where Kara Thrace was involved?

"Lee" she started again, but he didn't really want to listen. He turned away from her, returned to his packing, while she tried to explain something, that couldn't be explained. "We have two months to come to terms with that, and I hope that by that time we can both put this behind us. Today… it's fresh. It matters. But – lucky for us – there are vacation. We'll see where it gets us next year. I hope we get over this, and we can…" she stopped abruptly. Apparently she realized he wasn't listening to her any longer. "I'll go now. I'll pack my stuff after you leave. See you next year, Lee."

He did not answer.

>>

It didn't surprise him, or make him feel abandoned, that no one came to pick him up at the Star Port. Zak was a kid after all, though he just got his first driver's license. And mom was probably busy with another project of hers whatever that was this time.

But it made him sad, when he had to search for his keys to unlock the door. When he had to come into the empty house, turn on the lights, and listen to the silence. He was hoping they would at least be home to welcome him.

Instead he found a cold meal on the kitchen counter and a note: "Hello Lee, welcome home! I'll be back late in the evening, and Zak is learning to his exams with some friends, so he may not be back at all tonight. Heat it up in the microwave, and enjoy. Love. Mom." That was his greeting.

He was hungry. And though gyros lacked any taste at all, he ate it.

When he put empty plate to a dishwasher, and wondered what to do next – unpack, get some sleep, watch some programs, bore to death – he heard the door being opened and a voice calling: "Lee? Is that you?"

Zak. Excited an merry as always. His little bro. He'd never let him down.

"Hey, kiddo. I've just eaten, haven't left you anything" Lee said coming out of the kitchen. They hugged each other for dear life.

"No problemo. _Mom _cooked it" Zak winked. They both had a very special place for their mother's cooking in their hearts. "Especially for you, she wanted to celebrate your return in her own way."

"I guessed. It tasted like a sponge." They both burst out in laughter. "Don't tell her that."

"So. How is Flight School treating you?" Zak asked when they sat on the couch in the living room, soda in their hands.

"Flight School is okay, it's other Academy courses that are annoying" Lee started, but the kid only wanted to listen about Vipers. He wouldn't be his father's son if he didn't. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about maneuverability, newest achievements in flight technology and theoretical exercises that Zak wanted to practice right away.

"You have time, kiddo. You'll join the forces in two years."

"But I want to be better than you! And if I start practicing sooner, I'll beat you at the start!"

"Are you sure" they heard a clear, feminine voice from right behind them, "that you don't want to go to the law school?"

"Mom."

"Lee!" He rose, and moved straight into her open arms.

It was good to be home. It helped to forget about all the shitty things he left back on Picon. Let them remain there, and he could just enjoy being with his loved ones.

>>

She frakked up royally. Her mom would be so proud! To frak up a relationship that didn't even exist. Well it existed – it was friendship. A friendship with a really loyal, and caring man. That was lost for her now. That was over.

Kara looked out of the window of the carrier that was orbiting Libria. The planet was said to have the most picturesque natural environment of all the Twelve Colonies. The forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. But from here, from above, it looked none too attractive. A big green and greenish ball, nothing more.

She was hoping their friendship would remain despite her foolishness. But Lee's reaction to her assertion made it pretty obvious that he wasn't going to let it slide. She was going to miss him.

No, she was not.

She was going to forget him.

>>

t.b.c.

NOTE: Thanks for reading, and please review. It's so nice to get reviews!


	6. Separate Ways 'Part One'

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

NOTE: The chapter stretched so much, that I had to split it in two, to keep some length consistency with earlier chapters. Next part coming soon.

AMMONITE thanks for the cooking tips :).

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by -yannik-

Chapter Six - SEPARATE WAYS. PART ONE.

>>

Libria. One of the three Colonies Kara had never lived at. The only one she'd never been to. The wildest, the closest to the nature of them all.

Something she needed now. Or so she thought.

But her first encounter with Librian soil changed her mind. The star-port was shabby, dirty and outdated. Not that Kara was extremely clean or tidy, she was no Lee Adama… She was not supposed to think about Lee Adama.

So the star-port. It took her half an hour to locate her baggage – small as it was. The taxi she found was an obsolete vehicle that shook like it was on a verge of falling apart, it was loud like an interstellar rocket and there was no air-conditioning so it smelled like a year ago cooked potatoes. Opening the window didn't help, instead the wind was about to tear her head off.

The driver kept singing some infuriating local tune, and beaming at her, like she said something funny.

The hotel was even worse.

This was _not _what the commercial had said.

And the nearest transport to civilized regions was leaving in three days.

>>

"Smells sooo good!" Zak jogged into the kitchen, bringing in stink of sweat mixed with fragrance of wind. He was running with a few friends, preparing for the absolutely unofficial, but extremely important summer pyramid games.

"Your brother is cooking" mom explained playfully. "Enchiladas."

"They're going to be ready in seven minutes" Lee announced, never taking his eyes from the pan, where the last tortilla was browning nicely.

"You weren't helping, were you?" Zak asked Carol with a mischievous smile, and she slapped him on the wrist, before he managed to sneak a tortilla. "Whoa, I'm hungry" he protested.

"Get off!" Lee warned him, nearly dropping the hot tortilla on top of his hand, when he made another assault at the food.

"Go wash yourself" mom dragged him away. "We're serving shortly!"

She smacked him on his butt with a rag on his way out, and he ran faster, screaming "Ouh! Ouh!" theatrically.

"What do you need me to do now?" Carol leaned over her son's shoulder, as he mixed the sautéing meat with the tomato sauce.

"The salad is ready?"

"I think so." She really was hoping she did everything as her cooking genius said.

"Let me taste it" he asked, and she took a spoon to gave him a sample. She adored the look on his face when he concentrated like that - checking the ingredients, and actually being able to distinguish one from the other. "A bit more garlic" he said, completely unaware of how much in love his mother was with him. She couldn't help it, and kissed him on the cheek suddenly. "What?" he asked, stunned.

"Can't I kiss my son?" she replied, realizing she was blushing. He was an adult, and it wasn't so usual to show affection to such a big boy. But he was always, and always would be her little Lee.

She turned, and saw him looking at her strangely. Without a smile. That lasted not longer than a blink of an eye, and his face broke into a grin. It felt like a façade that was stripped off. Or maybe put on? Because even though he turned away quickly, she noticed that his eyes remained somber. She'd seen that look before.

"Maybe you're jealous" he joked, "that your mother's cooking-talent-genes came straight to me over your head."

"Oh, sure. I'm so jealous about my sons" she played along, but kept watching him discretely, a small pang of fear creeping in the pit of her stomach.

>>

Well it was no Caprica or Picon. Even people were different. More shy perhaps, or immersed in their inner thoughts. And definitely in no hurry.

"I'll take care of you in a moment" said a smiling bald guy, sitting at the counter in a travel agency. Half an hour ago. And repeated the phrase seven times already when she tried to get him to move his ass.

She shouldn't have come here. She should have gone to Caprica, see if her mother got herself a new flame, and run away from her house three days later. That was her usual pattern. Why change it? Then she would lose all her money on some unplanned activities, more triad, lots of alcohol, and finally she would end up sleeping under some bridge. At least it was usually hot on Caprica. What couldn't be said about Libria.

But no, she had to give in to Lee's idea of saving some of the money she was constantly winning at triad. And buying herself something special. Something she deserved. Well she truly deserved that! To be ignored, and treated like a trash.

Damned Lee!

She was not supposed to be thinking about Lee.

So she sat down and waited for the clerk to finish whatever important thing he was doing. If she was going to stay here – and Kara Thrace was never giving up easily – she needed a car, and some tips on where to go, and how to return. Most of the agencies offered guides, but she wanted to do it all on her own.

>>

"I don't get it" Lee commented in a lazy manner, slumped on the couch. "These are just some games with the boys from the neighborhood. Why do you care so much then?"

Zak stopped doing push-ups on the floor for a moment long enough to gaze at his brother like the latter grew another pair of legs. On top of his head.

"It's the matter of prestige!" he exclaimed. "What's there not to get? If something is not official it doesn't mean anything to Lee Adama?"

"Lee has it all catalogued, Zak" their mother walked slowly into the living room, absently leafing through the mail. "Top priority, medium priority, low priority. There are things that he just wouldn't bother with, because…"

"It's not that" Lee grumbled. "But it's supposed to be for fun, or so I thought. And Zak is jumpy like it were Colonial Championships."

"Sometimes 'unofficial' means more than the biggest medal." Zak lost patience, and got up, intending to leave his lazy big bro alone with the tv, or whatever and go outside to run. "But you would never get it!" he added at parting. "You wouldn't understand the concept of fun, if it started doing backflips on top of your nose."

"Oh, my!" mom chuckled, and Lee cast her his most petrifying stare. But he realized she wasn't laughing at Zak's juvenile joke, but at the letter she was holding in her hand.

"What is it?"

"Saul Tigh, and Ellen Hajja" she quoted in an overemphasized tone "have an honor to invite us to their… wedding" with the last she nearly burst out laughing.

"You're serious?" Lee couldn't suppress a chuckle either.

"I can't believe he decided to marry that freak!" Carol was genuinely amused.

"When?" Zak asked curiously, but mom dismissed him.

"Doesn't matter. We're not going." She put the letter away, and continued browsing.

"C'mon mom, they're our friends" Lee reminded.

"Your _father's _friends, not mine." Mom didn't even look up.

"So…" The brothers exchanged glances. Lee saw something in Zak's eyes, and he felt this wasn't going to be easy. But their mother was clueless.

"He's going to be there" she said simply. "I'm not going."

"Well, if he's going to…" Zak tried, but choke, and cast a pleading look at Lee.

"What's that?" Mom continued to ignore them, and opened the next letter. "Another invitation?" As she read her face slowly turned white. And then red. "He has a nerve, that man!" she exclaimed, throwing the letter to the garbage, tossing the rest on the commode, and striding out of the room.

"What is it?" Lee sat up, glancing after her.

Zak bent to check what made her so upset and picked up the letter, but he only managed to catch a few words, when she returned, and snatched the white sheet of paper from him. Those few words were enough though.

"To that we have to go!" he yelled as she averted.

"No. We do not!" she turned right back and gazed at her son angrily.

"But mom…" Zak crumbled. Pleaded with his voice, his eyes, and his whole posture. And then he looked to Lee, and Lee knew instantly what it was about. He stood up, and measured them both with his gaze.

"The promotion ceremony?" he asked softly.

"How do you know about that?" mom's voice was accusatory.

"I, uh…" Lee felt uncomfortable. But he collected himself. "I spoke to him at the Academy. He had some guest lectures."

"You spoke…" Zak started, but mom was louder. And she had more attitude.

"Oh, so you spoke to him" she mocked. "To great William Adama. Well, did he tell you about this?" she waved the invitation in front of his face.

"Yes, kind of" Lee admitted.

"And did you tell him that I was not going to attend?"

"Not really, I just…"

"Well, because I'm not going to!" she yelled intending to end this discussion.

"But, mom…" Zak tried nonetheless, but she was more stubborn.

"No. Way" she stressed, and turned to leave.

"Well, if it makes you happy, I'm not going there either!" Lee called after her, not really knowing why he did that. She did not respond.

Instead he got a really devastated look from his little brother.

>>

She got a map, some food, water, cloths for when it would be cold, and for when would be hot, and a vehicle. For it would be an overstatement to call the thing "a car". And she drove off.

As soon as she left the city limits, she found herself in a different world. Ugliness of a destitute streets and unsightly houses was replaced by thousand shades of green. Green of the leaves, green of the grass. Even the sky of Libria was the greenish shade of blue. Probably due to a higher level of oxygen in the atmosphere of the planet, than on the other Colonies.

It was easier to get used to breathing Librian air, than it was on the other planets. But it was also more dangerous. That higher level of oxygen gave humans intense feeling of elation. And that's why Libria was said to be like a narcotic. Kara started understanding all those over exaggerated comments about the natural environment, and beauty of this place. They had nothing to do with visual attractiveness, but everything with the fact that it was easier to breathe here.

She stopped her vehicle at a cliff side, overlooking a valley. Green, lazy waters of a wide river sparkled in the sunlight. Green trees bent over the surface, reflected in irregular countless copies. The gleaming ribbon winded through the landscape far into the mist covering the horizon.

And on the other side – there were mountains.

That was the wonder of Libria – that a human being could get to the highest mountain tops and not get exhausted. For the level of oxygen up there equaled that of Caprica's seaside, or Virgon average altitude. Kara intended to claim one of the snowy crests as hers.

>>

"You have to go!" Zak demanded.

"Nope." Lee sat back, and focused on the television. He wasn't intending to talk about any of this. Any!

But Zak blocked his view. "You must go, Lee" he said much softer than before. That forced Lee to look up. What he regretted this very moment. For the tears in Zak's eyes broke his heart. "If she's not going, then you have to" Zak continued, though he really didn't need to. "She'd never let me go alone. To Picon? No way. And I really have to see him. I do."

"I know" Lee cut in.

They looked at each other for a long while. A silent understanding passing between them, as Lee smiled lightly, and Zak's torment diminished.

"You've really talked to dad?" Zak whispered crouching beside his brother.

"Yes."

"What was he like?" There was so much emotion in that simple question. So much eagerness that Zak tried to suppress, unsuccessfully. It was simply too big a passion to suppress.

Lee sighed. "The usual, y'know" he said not really sure what to tell to the kid who missed his father so terribly. And then it came – the obvious statement. "He asked about you."

"Yeah?" Zak's face lit up immediately. "What did you say?"

"That you're applying to the Academy" Lee whispered, and was believed.

"And what did he say?"

"That he can't wait to see you in a Viper." Another lie. As wave of guilt suddenly hit him, Lee dropped his eyes to the floor, unable to face Zak anymore. Kid's words no longer registered, and the memory of the actual conversation with Colonel Adama came flooding over him. "Listen, Zak…" Lee choke, as he realized what he was about to do. "There's uh… Something I gotta ask you…" He needed to know… He took a deep breath, and then another. "When did mom, uh… meet Peter?" he stammered, never looking up at Zak. But he could sense his brother's confusion at this sudden change of subject.

"Like, um… Around a year after the divorce, why?"

"No, just… Was she seeing anyone else before him?" Lee started again, faltering more with each word. "You know… When…" he choke. Stopped. Fidgeted with his fingers. "I really don't remember much about _that _time" he added in a whisper. That was a subject they tried not to touch. A family taboo.

"I know" Zak confirmed he understood the unspoken code. "No she wasn't seeing anyone _then_. Why are you asking?"

"No. No reason" Lee thought Zak didn't even want to know. And he certainly didn't want to get into the details of everything. "Just… He said something. Dad. Never mind."

"Lee?" but Zak insisted.

Lee clenched his jaw. "It's okay, really" he stammered, and changed the subject quickly. "When is that ceremony?"

"Next month. We're going?" Zak asked, and Lee couldn't read the tone of his voice. Was it wary of something or hopeful?

"Sure. Sure we are" he replied in a low voice, still gazing at his palms.

"She's not going to like it."

"Who cares." Lee finally looked up, but instead of joy at the prospect of seeing his father in Zak's eyes, he saw pure concern.

>>

The path led through a forest. Intensely green, whispering thousand ancient songs. It was like a prayer, like a praising chorus of the gods. Of the almighty powers.

Then it got colder, and forest changed into a dwarf mountain pine.

There was a stream. A little river in a hurry; it's white foam singing another happy song. Kara spent the midday there, chewing some drayed meat, and then she drank the crystal, ice-cold water the stream offered her.

She thanked the gods for their generosity.

Then she walked the side of a large pond, situated at the feet of a waterfall. This was the sight that hurt her eyes with its unyielding beauty. Tall, proud, powerful. Loud like a thousand vipers starting into the air. The sun shining through the mist created a rainbow. Seven colors, from red to violet and purple, so intense, so real that she wanted to touch them.

That's when it got hard. The real climb began, as Kara ascended step by step along the waterfall, up to the top of it. And there – the sight was even more breathtaking.

>>

Lee and Carol sat on the floor of her bedroom, amid a few dozens of photographs picturing various family members.

"I can't believe I didn't get to sorting these out this past year" Carol snorted. "Look how many there are! We're not going to finish this before dinner."

Lee picked one and smiled. "Is that Patricia?" he asked bemused.

Carol shot a glance. "Yes."

"She sure got fat after the baby" Lee commented, and got a chuckle from his mother.

"A little too much, I agree." She fished for another picture, and found it. She handed a photo of a puffy newborn to Lee. "Oh, and look, that's her little treasure."

"He's a round boy as well!"

"It's a girl. And she's gorgeous." Carol took a picture back, and smiled at it. "She's going to be one beautiful lady."

"If she manages to lose all that roundness someday" Lee laughed.

"You're such a…" He earned a punch on the arm. "Kids must be fat! That's the beauty of them! You have no idea about children anyway." She started dashing through the pictures again, not expecting Lee to answer.

"I don't" he did anyway, "and I don't intend to have."

Carol looked up at him, quite startled with firmness she heard in his voice. How could a twenty years old child – he seemed a child yet! – be so sure of what he wanted, and what he didn't want from life?

"You're young" she said softly

"I'm never going to have children!" Lee repeated stubbornly.

"Lee. Never say never." She smiled looking straight into his eyes. "You'll meet Miss Right one day, and you'll see your unborn children in her eyes, and then you'll change your mind. You'll see!"

He gazed at her, and his eyes were dim and angry. Her smile faltered and fell, as she heard his response.

"I doubt Miss Right wants to have any kids either."

"Oh" she gasped. This was something she did not expect. And the way he said it made her all the more confused. She had no idea how she should react. So she said aloud the thought that struck her first. "So there is a Miss Right already?"

"Nope" he replied quickly, not looking at her.

"C'mon! You just said…" she gasped again, knowing – while she said this – that this was not the way with Lee. His reaction did not surprise her.

"I didn't say anything. I don't want to talk about this."

He remained silent, and focused on the pictures he was sorting. Carol realized something happened back there. On Picon. It must have had something to do with a girl, but getting Lee to say secrets he didn't want to share was nearly impossible.

"So." She decided to change the subject. "Zak says you want to take him to your father's promotion ceremony." This was a wrong choice. She knew that right away, but there were no take backs. Lee shut himself off even more, if that was possible.

"He wants to go" he said in a low, unemotional voice.

Carol sighed inwardly. Sometimes she couldn't understand her own son, he was so different from her. This ability to shut off all his emotions he's taken after his father. Cold and collected. It was Zak, who was much more like her – impulsive, talkative, happy when happy, angry when angry.

Hurting when his father was hurting him.

"You should talk to Zak" she hissed, all her attention focused on her younger at this moment. And at his uncertain yet future, and a man who tried to shape it to his liking. "Before your father does, and influences him some more. Zak's got some real oratory talent. He should be a lawyer or a politician. Not a pilot. And so should you in fact." She couldn't help but add the thought that had been in her head over and over for the last two years.

"Please" Lee only sighed.

She knew he didn't want this discussion. But it was too late. She had to make him see!

"I know what I'm saying" she said stubbornly. "Did he tell you how much problems he had with the practical tests for his driver's license?"

"But he got it."

"Everyone gets driver's license. That's not the point. The point is he isn't choosing his career because it's something he wants, but because his father made him think this is the best road to take!" They were so oblivious! How could two men, so intelligent, not see how their father manipulated them?

"I really…" Lee tried to say something, to defend himself, or maybe his brother, but Carol didn't let him finish.

"Was that what _you _wanted?" she attacked.

"Well…" he hesitated, "actually…" He suddenly lifted his gaze, and looked her straight in the eye. "Yes."

That rendered her speechless. Somehow she thought he wasn't certain if he considered his career choice as the right one. Somehow she thought he still thought about changing school.

Lee cocked his head to the side, watching her. "Yes" he repeated. "Maybe I did have some doubts at first, but now I know. I love flying."

"You're not cut out to be in the military" she said angrily. He only looked at her, shaking his head. "You know what I mean. You know why I say that" she added, her tongue faster than her thoughts again. That was taboo. That was something they almost never talked about. She gritted her teeth, as she watched him lower his sight, pretending to be extremely interested in some picture his eyes didn't even see.

He took a deep breath, before he answered. "Mom, I'm fine now." His voice was clear, but very low.

She needed to change the impression. She needed him to believe she meant something else. Something like... "I just don't want either of you to end up the way I did; fulfilling my parent's dreams." At least that was true. "I couldn't join military, so at least I could marry a war hero. And when he was expelled – what made me a very happy woman for a few years – my dad had to pull all the strings to give Bill his position right back.

"That's why I was never pushing you, and that's why I'm not pushing Zak now. Because I want you to make your own choices, do you understand that Lee?" She felt her blood begin to boil at the sight of his emotionless mask. How could he be so oblivious? How could he not see that she wanted his good! "Unlike your father, who keeps on telling you what a great thing it is to be a viper pilot! He's forming you. Like clay, to his liking. I'm not like that! And you just can't appreciate it!"

"You know what?" Lee stood up suddenly. "That's it, I'm done. Hear me? I'm done. I don't need you constantly comparing yourself to William Adama. And saying that you are so much better. No. That's enough." His words were angry, and his eyes were flashing with well contained fury, but his voice remained steady. How was he doing that? She barely listened what he was saying, until he compared her to her ex-husband. "You're just like him. You are both exactly the same. I'm good, she's bad. No I'm good, he's bad. And so on, and so on. I won't take it anymore."

"He said I was bad?" she blurted.

"Please…" Lee threw his hands.

"When you talked to him at the Academy, right?" she remembered. "What did he tell you? What did he tell you about me?" She got up, and faced him.

"Is that all you heard me say? Is that all that got to that thick skull of yours?" Finally the anger found it's way to Lee's voice. He was speaking louder, nearly screaming. "That your ex husband, whom you don't love and don't care about said something bad about you? That's all you've heard? You didn't hear me…"

"Don't talk to me like that, young man" Carol managed to cut into Lee's rant. He made her so pissed now. "I'm still your mother."

"You want to know what he told me?" Lee hissed, squinting his eyes, what meant nothing good. "You really want to know? Because you're going to regret that."

>>

t.b.c.


	7. Separate Ways 'Part Two'

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

NOTE: William Adama never remarried in my universe. That's why I think Mrs. Adama's name should be Carol Anne (sounds almost like Caroline, doesn't it? If you have a little bit of good will…) – to avoid considering Anne from "Scattered" as some _other _woman. So Anne's backstory – the military family and all – is Lee's mother's backstory here.

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by -yannik-

Chapter Seven - SEPARATE WAYS. PART TWO.

>>

There was a stony path.

There was snow and cold wind.

There were precipices and steep walls.

There was no path, but she still needed to walk it.

There were streams, rivers, ponds, and all other kinds of water. Well, except for the sea, but it was all wet. Too wet.

Water was turning into ice if she didn't change her cloths quickly enough. And sometimes she had nothing to change into. She remembered what the guide told her about the behavior in the high mountains. She also remembered he said to have a guide if she really wanted to go up there. But she thought that Starbuck didn't need help. Starbuck didn't need anyone. Starbuck could take on the life all by herself. What was a small mountain to Starbuck?

Lee would tell her to ease up a little. To let people in, to seek for help. He'd tell her help doesn't hurt. Help helps, that's what he'd tell her. Lee would help her. In life, and on that mountain. He should be here! He should warm her up, hold her, and warm her up. He'd do that. That's what he was always doing, when she messed up too much, when she drunk too much, when she kept playing triad even though her luck turned. He was showing up, and bailing her sorry ass out of every trouble in the whole frakking world.

Why wouldn't he show up now? The night was falling, the fire was small, and wouldn't last if she fell asleep. It was cold. So damn cold. And he was not there to get her ass out of trouble. Because she pushed him away. Because she told him she didn't want him. Because she lied to him.

Stars were filling up the darkening sky. She wanted to be there, amongst stars, with Apollo at her wing. She would be there. She would get back there. She would get the better of this stubborn mountain, and she would get the better of all the mess she created all by herself in her relationship with Apollo.

She was Starbuck after all.

>>

Lee looked at his mother. At her confused and maybe a little frightened face. Maybe she didn't want to listen. Maybe he didn't really want to tell. But it was to late.

"Well, he told me, that you called him" he begin slowly. "About half a year later. After the divorce. And that you told him that you met someone, and that he didn't need to worry anymore."

"Well, maybe I did." She shrugged not getting it yet. "So what?"

"Well, that wasn't true. Not that _I _really remember, but Zak confirmed it. You met Peter a _year _after the divorce. Not _half _a year."

She blinked, and hesitated, before answering. "So maybe your father has mistaken dates or something." But Lee knew she was getting the hint by now.

"He didn't" he hinted some more. "You called him. And you actually said that!"

"Maybe" she replied. And her face hardened. "I don't remember" She lied stubbornly.

"Oh you do!" Lee mocked. "You basically told him to stay away from us!"

"So what if I did?" she asked, all defensive. She knew exactly what he was aiming at, but she refused to acknowledge that. To shed any light on her behavior _then_.

He didn't want to go there. He didn't want to hurt her, hurt himself with reminding things… But there had to be an explanation! He had to finally know.

Why?

So he pushed that thorn a little bit further. "And it was probably on the very same day, when I begged you to call him and tell him to come home!" She couldn't respond to such a blunt accusation. Because she knew she was guilty. And Lee was hurting so much right now! Almost as much as he was hurting back then. "When I was lying in that hospital bed, and my world was literally falling into pieces!"

"I did it for your own good" she answered. Her face pale, her voice small, but still stubborn. As if that could erase all her mistakes.

Because Lee knew that was a mistake. Because he could not understand her claim that she wanted to protect him. "Explain to me how" he inquired.

"You know what he would do if he saw you there" Carol started speaking slowly, yet accusatory. "What he would say. He's a military. He wouldn't understand what you were going through. You didn't want your father, you wanted what you imagined about him!" she rose her voice and spoke faster. "But he's not like that, he's not who you want him to be. All you would get would be his contempt! His son, great Husker's son depressed? Suicidal? Nooo. He would call you a wimp, and tell you to get your shit together. That's all you'd have, and that would only make things worse for you. I needed you to get better, so I protected you from him the only way I knew." She stopped for a moment, and a lone tear streamed down her cheek. Lee felt bad for her, he knew his illness back then must have been painful for a mother as well. But he still felt betrayed. Not even her words now could change that. He needed both his parents at his side, and his mother took that away from him. Whatever her reasons were.

"And you know what?" she whispered after a long silence. "That way I also gave you a chance to be who you are now! Do you think I don't know you falsified your health report? That you didn't tell about it all, at the medical evaluation? They wouldn't accept you into the Academy if they knew. If _he _knew. Because if he knew he wouldn't let you even apply. You wouldn't be worth it! To be a viper pilot. You wouldn't be a man enough!" There was so much hate in her voice. Lee didn't need that. For what reason had he started this stupid conversation anyway? To get answers? Answers were worse than oblivion.

"I gave you this" she continued. "I wasn't thinking. Then. Because if I did, I would tell him. Just to prevent this from happening. You think I don't see what's going on with you? You think I don't see you're different? Last summer you were so joyful, I actually believed you were where you belonged. Now… You're dimmed. I miss that spark you used to have…"

"It's not because of the Academy" Lee cut in finally. She had it all wrong. She didn't know him at all. Everything that happened back then, didn't tech her a thing.

"Then what?"

What indeed? "This" Lee replied weakly. "This what you're doing now, what he was doing. When I met him, all he could talk about was… What you did wrong. And you do the same. You just keep… Just like _then_" he choke. He knew he was close to tears, and he feared that if he started crying, he'd fall apart. But he kept talking anyway. "Nothing's changed. And I don't want to be in the middle of this anymore, okay? I don't want to be standing between you and being crushed from both sides. I don't…" his voice failed him, and tears flew finally.

He wanted to run away, but he couldn't move. Unstoppable sobs were choking him, and he felt like a little baby. But he was not a baby! Not anymore. He was supposed to be strong!

Suddenly warm arms encircled him, and his face was pressed against a soft shoulder. "Shhh" a voice whispered into his ear. "It's okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Lee" she kept repeating those soothing words, stroking his hair, his arms, his back. And holding him tight. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize… I didn't see it, I should have. I'm sorry, hush, it's okay. It's going to be okay. I won't do that anymore." It helped. After a few moments his sobs subsided, and Lee felt a bit of calmness.

"I'm fine." He pushed away from her. "Really, I'm fine." They eyed each other, still in each other's arms. Lee tried to smile, and his mother did the same. That's why he felt sudden courage to ask her for something. "Would you... go to that promotion thingie…" She seemed surprised, and even a little offended, so he added quickly. "For Zak. Because if you don't I will have to. And I really don't want that. But I'll have to, because my little bro needs to see his father. I saw him a month ago, Zak haven't seen him on over a year. He needs that. Make it a gesture on your part, okay? A sign that you're over it. That you don't care, really don't care. That you've moved on from William Adama. Please."

Her face softened during his speach, and she nodded several times. "I love you, Lee" she said finally. "I love Zak."

>>

She was on top of the world.

Yes, there were higher mountains on Libria, even right here she saw some of them. There were higher and more difficult mountains on other worlds. But she was here. And it was amazing.

Lee's words came back to her – _get yourself something you deserve_. Did she deserve that? Did she deserve such beauty? The answer was simple - no, she did not. She was such a stupid frak-up. She was able to destroy all the beauty in the world, and certainly all the beauty in her life. Because… well… _this _was beyond her. This was beyond even her ability to destroy. This beauty was eternal, gods-sent.

She sat on top of her world, shivering from freezing cold, and looked, and tried to memorize it. All the saddles, and smaller peaks that got her here. All the little rivers, and waterfalls, and dwarf pine trees. Below – down, down below – the world was so green. Like there was no other color, just shades of green. All but the sky. Because up here the sky was blue.

Like his eyes.

She wanted to memorize this beauty to tell him about it. To tell him to come here with her on the next vacation break. She wanted to be able to tell him anything. Anything at all…

But she realized her hopes were futile. He was never going to speak with her again. This was the beauty of her life that was lost to her forever.

>>

Zak didn't have to search long if he wanted to find Lee. Or maybe Lee wanted to be found this time? He was sitting on a few planks that were left of their childhood tree-house. Even the ladder was bitten by time.

Carefully Zak climbed up, and waded through the leaves and branches, until he was just next to his brother. Lee shot him a glance and returned to absentminded picking at the leaf he was clutching.

"This isn't going to crush under us both?" Zak tried to joke, sitting cautiously opposite Lee, and leaning against a large branch.

"I dunno" Lee shrugged, not looking up.

Zak sighed. He wanted to talk to Lee. Well, he didn't really _want_, but he knew she should have. Lee was different, Zak noticed it on the very first day, but he refused to let it bother him. Until he couldn't put it off any longer. The change was too obvious, and what it could mean was too hazardous to pretend it didn't exist.

Mom should be taking care of it, but then – she didn't before. So it was up to Zak. They were brothers, they were supposed to be taking care of each other.

"So." He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "How are you feeling?"

"A little… detached" Lee replied softly, still gazing at the remnants of a leaf.

That was not what Zak wanted to hear. The boy realized he was not ready for this conversation. He was secretly hoping that Lee would say that everything was okay, that it was nothing, or maybe even Zak's imagination. This blunt disclosure was unnerving.

Detached. Uncaring? Indifferent? Lee was not supposed to go back there! A cold fear clasped Zak's throat. He needed Lee to be his big brother – the reliable, a little too tight-ass, but caring and loving big brother. Not a detached, uncaring someone, who just sits there and watches the tv, or stares at the useless bits and pieces of a leaf.

Zak wanted to scream at his brother to wake him up, to bring him back to reality, but he knew better than that. Lee needed something different. Only what that was? – Zak didn't know.

"Mom says she talked to you," he started finally, uncertain if it was the right thing to say, "and she's going to go to that ceremony."

"Yeah. She is." Lee nodded, still indifferent.

"So it's going to be the whole family there." Zak tried to smile. He hoped that maybe if they were all there…

"Zak." Lee finally looked up. "No, not the whole family" he explained. "I'm not going."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to" Lee answered, and watched Zak for a moment. Then he reasoned some more. "She's going with you, because I told her I didn't want to go. I saw him a month ago, and… Well… I don't want to, alright?"

There wasn't going to be any more justification, but Zak knew Lee enough to make a few guesses. "You argued?" he presumed.

"Sorta"

"That's why you feel like… detached?"

"Maybe" Lee replied and contemplated his inner thoughts, memories. Then he shook his head slightly. "No. It's not just that" he started explaining, faltering a little. "That too, but… My world doesn't evolve around them anymore." He bowed and Zak could swear there was a slight smile on his lips. But it was hard to say for sure. "It's stupid really. Not something worthy getting depressed about." Lee chuckled softly and looked straight at Zak with a kind of embarrassed expression. "I fell in love. And she doesn't love me back."

Zak smiled. So this was all about a girl? "She stupid or something?" he teased, and earned a genuine half-smile from his brother.

"Right."

They sat in silence for a while then. Zak not really wanting to break this spell – he felt he managed to get Lee a little out of his shell, and he didn't want to say or do something stupid, that might spoil it. That might push Lee back in the "detached" mode.

"There's just so many things" Lee started talking suddenly. "What dad said, and mom, and maybe I am a little tired after the whole year of training, but I must get used to that if I want to be a viper pilot. And I do want that, I want to fly." He stopped, and took a deep breath and eyed Zak. "And then there's _her_. You know we actually… did _that _y'know."

"_That_?"

"Yeah. And then she came and said, she didn't want to get involved, and that it had been a mistake, and it wouldn't ever happen again. Pretty stupid huh?" Lee threw away the crumpled leftovers of his picked apart leaf.

"Yeah. She's stupid" Zak admitted. He already hated this girl for making his brother so miserable.

"No." Lee shook his head. "I'm stupid. That I actually fell for her. I mean she's all sorts of great, but she's not the kind of a girl to whom you could get committed to. Not _that _way. She's more of a buddy. I have to get over this, I do. I can't let some stupid love thing get in a way of my dreams. My future. I'm gonna be okay. I know I am." Lee looked Zak squarely in the eye, and really seemed to be convinced of the truth of his words and intentions.

But for Zak it wasn't that obvious. His concerns weren't any smaller really, and he wondered if it was ever going to get easier. If this fear of loosing Lee at his own hand will ever go away.

Because when you're twelve, and you watch your hero big brother, as he gradually stops talking to you, stops playing sports, as he turns from one of the best students in his class to one of the weakest… When you see that – even though he still checks if you eat properly, get dressed and even makes sure you don't miss your doctor's appointments – but he himself stops eating, or even sleeping… When one day you learn that he had an accident on his bike, and you know – even though nobody tells you, because you're twelve, and you wouldn't understand – but _you know_, that it was _not _an accident… When later, as your big brother recovers from his mild injury, he is taken to a different hospital and even your mom fears to say it's a mental institution in fact, and when your brother returns from there a month later he's so thin and pale… When he needs to remember to take his pills regularly, and remember about his appointments with a doctor nobody at home calls "shrink", and he has to sleep regularly, and he still doesn't talk to you, or plays sports until long seven months later… That forever changes the way you look at your brother. He may still be a hero, because he won. Because he wants to live again and he's still physically stronger, and knows more about so many things. But from that time on, you always look at your hero big brother and search for signs that _this _may be happening again. Even if he tells you that he's fine, that he's going to get over it – you still look at him… And you're afraid.

>>

t.b.c.

NOTE: Okay. So now you know just how obsessed I am. But fear not – I'm not planning to write more about depression in this story. Well, not until the you-know-what...  
And so… review please! I'm really not certain at this point if I want to continue this, there are all those other projects that keep me occupied. And though trying to guess L/K history is very interesting to me, I have to make some choices…  
Thanks for reading anyway.  
-Y-


	8. Back From The Deep Water

DISCLAIMER: The character's and the universe of the _Battlestar Galactica _do not belong to me.

DISCLAIMER 2: The character of Niki Shonse is not mine either – she belongs to AMMONITE. Thanks for lending her!

And also AMMONITE thank you for beta-reading as always. You seem to be able to say what I think, much better than I do. I'm only glad that you can guess what I meant, from this babbling I do sometimes…

NOTE: Niki in this story is an AU version of Ammonite's character in the same way as Lee here is – in fact – an AU version of Lee from _Battlestar Galactica_. Ammonite's "Learning to Fly" is by no means a backstory for "The Least Likely", nor "tLL" is the future-story for "LtF". They are totally different ideas of what might have happened to Lee in the past.

NOTE 2: Very big thank you to all the people who encouraged me to continue this. Having three stories at one time, plus three others that I write elsewhere is a challenge, but it's also really rewarding, when I learn that there are people, who want to read my stuff. That makes me feel fulfilled as a writer. Thank you again, and please, keep reviewing. That's why I publish after all – to get some reaction from the readers.  
Hope you enjoy it!

>>

THE LEAST LIKELY by -yannik-

Chapter Eight - BACK FROM THE DEEP WATER

>>

It was another hot afternoon. Caprica was always so hot. Programs on television were boring, but Lee flipped through the channels nevertheless. He thought about getting something to eat, but didn't feel like getting up from the couch. This required too much effort, and he was too exhausted. With living in general.

What he told Zak – that he'd get through this – was obviously a lie. He was sinking. If it went further this way, he would never be allowed to get into a viper again. That was another thought that was bringing him down, especially that he realized by now, that he wasn't able to do anything about it. Not without a helping hand.

And a helping hand appeared.

In a form he least expected.

There was someone in his house, but he realized that when the light steps were just feet from the couch he lay on. He didn't see the person, as she neared from behind him, but he knew… he felt her. And his heart caught in his throat. Could that be _her_? It had been so long since he had last seen her. It was not possible, could she, why would she return now?

As a honey gold strand of long hair touched his cheek, he believed. Somehow she had come to him.

"Niki" he whispered.

"It's been a while" she answered, and he heard a smile in her voice.

He looked up and she was right there, hovering above him. She looked the same, yet she was completely different.

"Four years." Five if they counted the year he hadn't talked to her, because he hadn't felt like talking to anyone about anything. But she had been there by his side, of _that_ he'd been aware. She had departed just when he'd started getting better. Only months later he'd realized she had waited for him. She had left, when she'd been sure it'd been safe, that he was okay. Rumors said she'd left for Aquarion.

"Lee Adama, you are one sorry sight." She nodded towards the half-eaten yesterday's pasta still laying on the coffee table next to him, to the drawn curtains. Then she looked him deep in the eye. "I'm here to help you get yourself together, and you may remember there's no arguing once I've sent my mind on something."

He got up, and sat straight, to be on the same eye-level with her. "When did you return?"

"I come here sometimes."

"Why haven't we ever met?"

"You were away. We meet now."

They looked at each other long. There was so much Lee wanted to ask, so much he wanted to tell her, but something stopped him. This was definitely his Niki, but something _was _different about her, too.

Then she smiled, and got up. She opened the curtains, letting the bright sun in, blinding him momentarily. She opened the window, and fresh, hot air hit his nostrils. She came back to the table, turned off the TV and picked up dirty dishes.

"You go upstairs" she told him confidently, "have a shower, shave, change those cloths you appear to have worn since the cylon war, and come back here. I'll clean this mess and fix you some breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Lee asked incredulously, but he already knew he was falling for her act. "It's the afternoon."

"Who cares?" That warm, friendly smile still adorned her face. "Have you eaten today? No? Then it's breakfast. And then we can talk."

He did as he was told. He obeyed as if there was no other choice. He ate the food she gave him, and it tasted really good for a change - he genuinely enjoyed it. And then they talked. About the Academy, vipers, Commander Adama, Caroline Adama, and about Kara Thrace - a lot about Kara. As they talked, Lee's hopes for the future and joy of life began to return. He was sure it was because of meeting an old friend - no, his best bud and confidant from childhood, whom he thought he'd lost. Things were always so easy and smooth between them, so why not now? Only months later he realized there was more to it; he never knew what it was though.

They met a few times more over that summer, always just the two of them. And each time Lee felt better and better. Soon his depression was gone as if it never had existed, and when Niki said she was leaving at the end of vacation, Lee wasn't even sad at the prospect of not seeing her in the near future. He simply knew he would see her again, someday. She made him believe that.

When he was on the _Caprican Traveller _on it's way to Picon, he realized they had never talked about her time on Aquarion.

>>

Kara stepped into the bunk-room, and her heart caught in her throat. She feared who she was going to meet there, and, of course, there he was. He spotted her just as she came through the hatch. Frak! She was going to have to ask the warden to change her room. He would be pissed off - she really mastered at pissing people off from the very start. She vaguely remembered that she had been planning to patch things up with Lee, but seeing him now, seeing his serious face…she only knew she needed to stay out of his sight, for as long as he was forced to breathe the same air as she did. Once she moved out he'd be free from her presence but, until then, she would pretend to be invisible.

Walking in, with her head bowed, she only caught a glimpse of him, and didn't know what he was doing until she saw his boots, right in front of hers.

She glanced up and met his smile - his charming Adama smile - and she couldn't stop her own mouth. Disobedient as everything in her, her smug bastard lips widened, exposing her teeth in what she knew was her happiest grin.

"You're here already?" She feigned surprise, spreading her arms out and embraced him enthusiastically.

He returned the hug. He really returned her hug, and she nearly cried. Did that mean they could breathe the same air?

Kara didn't request to be moved from those quarters, even when a couple of days later she noticed Lee was treating her coldly. He was really odd at times – warm and smiling one day, distant and indifferent the other. Finally when their rotation on battlestar _Terria _was about to start, she told him she was going to ask for a separate bunk room. She was going to do that even if it was going to drag the authorities' anger on her head. He simply deserved better company than her. But his reaction surprised her.

"I'm sorry, I," he stammered. "I've been a lousy friend lately, I know that. I understand why you'd like to have more enjoyable room mates." He was staring down at his shoes.

"No" she breathed out. He had it all wrong, how was she supposed to reverse it now? "It's not that, I just…" She bit her lips, and looked up into his eyes – so blue, so sad.

"Kara, I've had some… problems" he started, hesitantly. "Back home. I'm trying… I'm trying to get over that, but sometimes my head is elsewhere. I know this can be tiring for people around me, such moodiness and all… I really understand if you…"

"I thought it was because you hated me" she cut in, too startled by his confession to realize she had just admitted to her fears.

"No!" He seemed offended by her words. "I never… How could I?…"

She was so relieved! He was not mad at her! Okay, maybe he did not forgive her entirely – those things she tried not to think about, how she treated him at the end of the last year – but he was not mad at her.

This new knowledge about the source of his problems changed her attitude completely. Once they started off-planet Flight Course, she made sure he was not left alone with whatever was on his mind. She knew from experience that there were a few excellent ways of kicking stupid, unnecessary thoughts out of one's head: ambrosia, triad and ambrosia. And a pyramid game from time to time. And running the length of the starship every morning. And stupid challenges in the air – one of which earned her twelve hours in the brig - when her stunt nearly made Felix crush into Witch. But Felix was lucky, which was why he had the call-sign.

What surprised her most was the fact that Lee actually responded. He was smiling more often, he was facing up to her most of the time and – what almost frightened her – was getting ever better at triad.

Once he even beat her.

"Two pairs" he said putting his cards on the table, with half a smile. Throughout this game she saw right through his act – he feigned having good cards, but he was oh-so-easy to read. She knew he had a weak hand, and now his face betrayed that openly. He was sure he lost this one. But, nope – her hand was weaker.

Trying to force him to fold was stupid when all she had was a single pair, but then – the Lee she used to know would have folded half an hour earlier.

This time though, he took her money, a bottle of Librian wine, her last two cigars (that he was going to bargain with for the rest of the rotation), her boots, and her dog-tags.

"I'm going to have to win those back" she commented.

"Only if I let you." His mocking smile was so broad she was sure his head might split in two. She couldn't make up her mind whether she enjoyed that or she hated him at the moment.

"Starbuck's luck has turned?" Felix laughed, rubbing his hands. "Deal, maestro!" he called to Pick-It-Up, who picked up all the cards.

"You can only win so many times!" Pick-It-Up replied, starting to deal.

"Shut it up," Starbuck retorted angrily. Lee hanged her dog-tags on his neck; she saw there was a long night ahead of them. "Maybe you'd share that nectar I brought here for everyone to enjoy! We're out of ambrosia," she called to him, pointing at empty glasses.

He eyed the bottle full of brown-reddish liquor with the look of a connoisseur. "Southern slope?" he asked.

"Bet it was! Pour it, don't bore it."

The aromatic juice filled glasses. Felix took the first sip, and sighed. "Sweet. Strong. I haven't had wine since high school."

"Good vineyards are only on Libria and Aquarion" Witch explained. She was always so well-informed. "And they do not export, because…"

"So how many times has Starbuck won today?" Phoenix – Felix's twin sister – cut in. There was only so many times they could listen to Witch's philosophizing.

Witch, offended, shut her mouth, and Felix chimed in "Seven? I'm in, change two" he threw a cubit and folded two cards. The others followed him.

"How does that make us sure her luck has really turned?" Pick-It-Up wondered.

"It could be calculated" said Lee, fidgeting with Starbuck's dog-tags – his new trophies. "I'm in and none to change." He stuck to his cards, gazing at Kara with a mischievous smile.

"Calculated?"

"There is that formula… Witch, do you remember?" he asked the dark haired girl, and Phoenix rolled her eyes.

"Four" was Witch's only response, as she gave away four cards, and took the change Pick-It-Up gave her.

To Phoenix's disappointment though, her own brother picked up on the subject. "What? Calculated? Is it something like that debate about how many gods can fit on a pin-head?"

"How many what?" Starbuck spat half mouthful of vine on the table. "Sorry, frak!" She started wiping the liquid with her blouse, hardly able to suppress hysterical laughter. They had two bottles of ambrosia already, and alcohol was clearly hitting her brain.

"Gods on a pin-head, haven't you heard of it?" Felix asked, amused by her unsuccessful efforts at making the cubits less sticky.

"Nope, I haven't" she burst out laughing again. "That's ridiculous! Why would they do that?"

"That's not the question. It's strictly a philosophical debate." Felix leaned in his chair, obviously in philosophical mode himself. "It's the brain exercise…"

"It's no brain exercise!" Witch interrupted. "It's pointless pondering of some religious fanatics from Gemenon. Was that made-up by this cleric, who sat on the pylon for twenty years? No wonder it got to his brains! Are we playing or not. I'd like to bet something!"

"I'd like to bet if all of _us _would fit on the pin-head!" Starbuck still laughed hysterically. She had no idea why the idea of gods sitting on a pin-head was so hilarious, but it was. Lee eyed her incredulously, and that made her laugh even harder.

"There is…" Pick-It-Up eyed everyone, as if counting to six was too hard for him, "…six of us. If we had big enough pin-head…" he said seriously.

"Big like?…" Felix asked, amused even more than earlier. His eyes were almost round now. "Like this chair?" he slapped the stool under his butt.

Starbuck thought that if she laughed any harder, she might not be able to stay on her own chair.

"Guys are we going to play? Who's betting?" Witch asked, obviously afraid that they weren't.

"Okay. I'm in on this one!" Lee suddenly joined the fun as Felix and Pick-It-Up stood and helped each other climb on the stool. Kara propped her head on her arms, and laughed uncontrollably.

"Please do!" said Felix. "There's plenty of room for one of the gods."

"Oh, frak me!" Kara screamed. "He's Apollo! Okay, take me up too." She stood up, swayed a little, but was determined to join the others. She almost fell, but Lee's hand steadied her. They waved for Phoenix and Witch to come up as well.

Phoenix agreed, and Witch folded her cards and hid her face in her hands with resignation. "And I had full colors." She sighed.

"You shouldn't have said that!" Kara screamed. "We were going to continue. Eee… Iiik."

Suddenly Kara swayed, and the boys were unable to support her any more. She hit the table, knocking the cards off, and fell on the floor. "Feldercarb!"

"The chair is too easy" Witch commented.

"What would be more difficult?" Pick-It-Up got up off the floor first and helped the others.

"Question – how many pilots would fit into the cockpit of a viper?" Witch said slowly.

The rest stopped moving and gazed at her incredulously.

"That should be fun" Lee woke up first, and his eyes sparkled dangerously.

"You wouldn't do that!" Kara breathed out. "No way Lee Adama would go down to the hangar deck at night and try something as off-the-book as that!"

Lee just gave her a look. "Watch me."

"I will. And I bet those dog-tags you're wearing that you won't even get to the hangar deck, let alone climb into the cockpit with all those people in tow."

"You can't bet something you don't have" Lee laughed.

"You bet them! I bet…" she looked around, searching for a good call.

"A month's ration of dessert" Lee chimed in. That was cruel! He knew how she loved sweets.

But what the heck! She was _sure _he wouldn't do it!

She knew how close she was to winning this one, seeing as Lee tried – unsuccessfully – to calm down their hysterical five friends, when their laughter echoed through the corridors of _Terria._ They were not noticed though – which meant they were very lucky.

The hangar deck was empty and silent. Shining Mark V vipers stood in two rows, waiting for tomorrow's practice. They looked beautifully powerful, and Kara sighed with admiration. She's never been to the hangar deck at night before.

Lee wanted to take the first viper, but she kept going along the row of planes, and the rest of the group followed her.

"Pst! Guys, let's just…"

"You're chicken, Adama" Kara turned to him. "I'll pick the viper!"

"I went down to the hangar deck, so you lost already!"

"Frak I lost! If you don't get in – you lose! Here!" she pointed at one of the vipers standing in the middle of the deck.

"You got it!"

The whole group climbed into the cockpit, and – truth be told – it was not comfortable. Phoenix proposed closing the canopy, but they couldn't do it with everyone in the cockpit. So Felix changed the challenge into the question of how many cadets are needed to lift a viper.

Very soon that question was changed into how many cadets would fit into one cell in hack – which was asked by the CAG of _Terria's _air group.

It was a lost and gainful evening. Kara lost her dog tags, her cigars, and her desserts until the end of rotation. However, she did gain plenty of new points on her record.

>>

t.b.c.

If you feel like writing a few words to me – don't hesitate to do so!


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